FEMA's emergency kit: how many days and how much water
FEMA's Ready.gov asks households to keep several days of water and food, and its materials put the minimum at 3 days. Store 1 gallon (about 3.8 litres) of water per person per day for drinking and sanitation. An older Ready.gov guide suggests planning for 3, 7 or even 14 days of water depending on where you live.
What this means for your household
Set your household size to see the days, water and food the United States advice adds up to.
Several days of water and food. FEMA material says at least 3 days.
Drinking water for 2 people. Official figure: 1 gallon (about 3.8 L) per person per day, for drinking and sanitation.
Person-days of food to cover (2 × 3). Pick food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking.
What Ready.gov's basic kit includes
Store items in airtight plastic bags and keep the whole kit in one or two containers you can carry.
- Water: 1 gallon per person per day, for several days
- Food: several days of non-perishable food, and a manual can opener
- A battery-powered or hand-crank radio
- A flashlight and extra batteries
- A first aid kit
- A whistle to signal for help
- A wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
- A cell phone with chargers and a backup battery
How the US warns you
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are broadcast from cell towers to phones in the area at risk. You don't need to sign up, and they don't track your location.
- A WEA alert has its own tone and vibration, repeated twice. It is free and doesn't count toward texting limits.
- Your phone must be on, not in airplane mode, and connected to a participating carrier.
- NOAA Weather Radio carries National Weather Service warnings, and works without the cell network.
- All of these come through FEMA's Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS), which also feeds TV, radio, sirens and highway signs.
US-specific steps
- Ready.gov's plan has three steps: build a kit, make a family emergency plan, and stay informed about the emergencies likely where you live.
- Plan for everyone in the household: children, older adults, people with access and functional needs, and pets.
- Match your supplies to local hazards. Hurricane, wildfire and earthquake areas may need more than 3 days, which is why Ready.gov's older guide mentions up to 14 days of water.
- Keep a smaller kit at work and in the car as well as at home.
Go beyond the minimum: what we recommend
Official lists cover the basics. These are the gaps we see most often when an emergency lasts longer than expected.
- Build toward 7 days of water and food, even if the official minimum is 3. Outages often last longer than planned.
- Keep paper and digital copies of IDs, insurance and prescriptions, so you can prove who you are and get medicines.
- Write the expiry date on everything and check the kit every 6 months, so it doesn't quietly go out of date.
- Plan for phone power: a charged power bank, plus a solar panel or car charger for longer outages.
- Save offline maps of your area and agree a meeting point, in case the mobile network is down.
- An offline survival guide on your phone: HAVEN tracks your kit and expiry dates and works with no signal.Download HAVEN free
Numbers to write down
- 911 · Emergency services
- 1-800-621-3362 · FEMA disaster assistance
- NOAA Weather Radio · Weather alerts without cell service
Keep a paper copy: your phone may be flat when you need it.
Your kit, ready when the network isn't
HAVEN tracks your kit in gallons and days for your household, reminds you before food and water expire, and keeps offline guides and maps on your phone.
- Coverage in days for your household
- Expiry reminders
- Offline guides and AI
- Free to start, no account needed
How United States compares
United States: 3 days. Across the 25 governments we checked, most ask for 3 days, a growing group asks for a week, and Austria asks for the most, at 10 to 14 days. See every country's advice.
United States preparedness FAQ
How many days of supplies does FEMA recommend?
Several days. FEMA's materials put the minimum at 3 days, and an older Ready.gov guide suggests planning for 3, 7 or even 14 days of water depending on where you live.
How much water should I store per person?
1 gallon per person per day, for drinking and sanitation. For a family of four over 3 days that is 12 gallons.
What is in a basic FEMA emergency kit?
Water, non-perishable food, a battery or hand-crank radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit, extra batteries, a whistle, a wrench or pliers for utilities, a manual can opener, and a phone with chargers and a backup battery.
Do I need to sign up for Wireless Emergency Alerts?
No. WEA alerts are broadcast to every compatible phone in the area at risk. They don't track your location and they're free.
Is the US government telling people to stockpile for 90 days?
No. The 90-day figure comes from press reports about the Pentagon's plans for military bases. FEMA's advice for households is still several days.
Official sources
- Build A Kit (Ready.gov)
- Emergency Supply List (Ready.gov, PDF)
- Are You Ready? An In-Depth Guide to Citizen Preparedness (PDF)
- Emergency Alerts (Ready.gov)
- Wireless Emergency Alerts (FEMA)
This page summarises official advice and is not a substitute for it. Always follow the instructions of your local emergency services. Last checked 2 November 2026.