Drink and eat
- Drinking water: 6 litres per person, in sealed bottles
- Non-perishable food that needs no cooking: tins, baby food jars, pet food
- A multi-tool knife and a tin opener
info.gouv.fr: source
France
France's 72-hour kit d'urgence
The French government asks households to prepare a kit d'urgence 72 h, a kit for the first 72 hours, with 6 litres of drinking water per person. The list is on the Ministry of Ecological Transition's page.
Read5 min read
Updated11 Nov 2026
TopicHour zero
Official sources3
Why 72 hours
When a major disaster cuts power, gas and water, the ministry writes, the first 72 hours are often the hardest. Its page explains what the kit is for: "Préparer un kit d'urgence 72h en amont permet si nécessaire, de rester chez soi en sécurité dans l’attente des secours." That is: preparing a 72-hour emergency kit in advance lets you, if needed, stay safely at home while you wait for help.
The government's preparedness page on info.gouv.fr calls the same stretch "Les 72 premières heures : une période décisive", the first 72 hours, a decisive period. We read both pages on 11 November 2026.
What goes in the kit
The government's guide "Tous responsables" sets three priorities: drink and eat, keep warm, look after your health. Here is the list sorted that way.
Keep warm
- Warm clothes
- A survival blanket
info.gouv.fr: source
Health
- Your medicines
- A first-aid kit (antiseptic, plasters, compresses)
- A spare pair of glasses
info.gouv.fr: source
Light and news
- A battery radio with spare batteries, to follow instructions from the authorities
- A torch with batteries or a wind-up one
- Candles, and a lighter or matches
- A mobile phone charger
Ministère de la Transition écologique: source
Papers, cash, keys
- Photocopies of key documents in a waterproof pouch (ID card, prescriptions)
- Cash, because cash machines may not work
- Spare house and car keys
info.gouv.fr: source
Passing the time
- Games
Ministère de la Transition écologique: source
Water for a family of four
24 litres
4 people×6 L
The French kit figure
The ministry counts 6 litres of drinking water per person for the 72-hour kit, in sealed containers.
6 Lper person, for the kit
72 hthe period it covers
1 yearbetween checks, on the poster
Water for your household
Six litres a head.
| People | Water for the kit |
|---|---|
| 1 | 6 L |
| 2 | 12 L |
| 3 | 18 L |
| 4 | 24 L |
| 5 | 30 L |
| 6 | 36 L |
At 6 litres per person (ecologie.gouv.fr, info.gouv.fr). The water calculator adds pets and hot days.
During the first 72 hours
info.gouv.fr lists what to do once something has happened:
- Stay informed: keep the radio or TV on, especially your local public radio station (the ici network, formerly France Bleu).
- Listen for loudspeaker messages and sirens, which can call for evacuation.
- Stay where you are until it is safe or you are told to leave.
- Keep your kit next to you.
- Cut non-essential calls so the networks stay free for the emergency services.
Numbers to know
From the same government page.
| Number | For |
|---|---|
| 15 | SAMU (medical emergency) |
| 17 | Police |
| 18 | Fire brigade (pompiers) |
| 112 | European emergency number |
| 114 | For deaf and hard-of-hearing people |
Source: info.gouv.fr.
Questions people ask
How many days does France recommend?
72 hours. Both the ministry page and info.gouv.fr build the kit around the first three days.
How much water per person in France?
6 litres for the kit, in sealed bottles. A family of four needs 24 litres.
How often do I check the kit?
The ministry's poster says once a year: check the dates on medicines and food and swap the batteries. The info.gouv.fr FAQ asks for twice a year. Refill it after you use it.
Do I need food I can cook?
No. The list asks for non-perishable food that needs no cooking, such as tins.
Is there a printable version?
Yes, the ministry has a one-page poster of the kit (PDF).
Read next
Sources
- Ministère de la Transition écologique: Préparer son kit d'urgence 72 h The list and the 6 litres. Checked 11 Nov 2026.
- Ministère de la Transition écologique: kit poster (PDF)
- info.gouv.fr: Se préparer aux situations d'urgence The "Tous responsables" priorities, the first 72 hours and the emergency numbers.