Pack a 72-hour grab-and-go bag for every member of the household
Alberta Emergency Management and PreparedBC — and Ready.gov / FEMA in the US — all build their household preparedness guidance around being able to...
Alberta Emergency Management and PreparedBC — and Ready.gov / FEMA in the US — all build their household preparedness guidance around being able to support yourself and your family for at least 72 hours without outside help. A grab-and-go bag should be packed before fire season and kept somewhere everyone in the house can find it in the dark. Include water (about four litres per person per day), non-perishable food and a manual can opener, copies of identification and insurance documents in a waterproof bag, prescription medications and a written list, a first-aid kit, a flashlight with spare batteries, a battery or hand-crank radio, phone chargers and a power bank, cash in small bills, basic toiletries, a change of clothes and sturdy shoes, and any comfort items for children. Add seasonal layers — fire season can mean cool nights and smoky air, so an N95-style mask is worth including. Build a separate bag for each member of the household, including pets, and review the contents at the start of each fire season to swap out expired food and rotate medications.
PreparedBC and Alberta Emergency Management both plan for 72 hours of self-sufficiency — about four litres of water per person per day is the baseline before any food, meds or comfort items.
Source: Alberta — Build an Emergency Kit
Last reviewed 2026-05-02.
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