What emergency supplies does Peru recommend? INDECI's 4-day plan

Short answer. Peru's national civil defence institute, INDECI, asks every family to prepare a "Survival Combo" (Combo de la Supervivencia) that covers the first four days of an emergency ¹². It has two parts: an emergency backpack for the first 24 hours, taken when you evacuate (one per two people, about 8 kg), and a reserve box for days 2 to 4, kept at home in a dry, protected place ².

How long does INDECI want a household to be self-sufficient?

Four days, or 96 hours. The backpack covers the first 24 hours and the reserve box covers the second to the fourth day ². INDECI's triptych says of the reserve box: "Sirve para el segundo y el cuarto día de la emergencia" (it serves for the second and fourth day of the emergency) ².

What is the difference between the backpack and the reserve box?

Source: INDECI triptych ².

How much water does INDECI recommend?

The figures are modest and differ between INDECI documents, so read them as minimums for the kit, not as daily needs:

• Backpack: a 1/2 litre bottle of still water in the triptych ²; the 2021 family-plan workbook example lists 1 litre per person ³.
• Reserve box: a 2.5 litre bottle of still water ².

INDECI does not state a daily amount per person in these documents. Our guide on how much water to store per person explains how other agencies calculate it, and water storage containers covers how to keep it.

What goes in the backpack?

In short: water, non-perishable food for 24 hours (cereal bar, canned food, chocolate), hygiene items, a first-aid kit, a fleece blanket and footwear, some cash (preferably coins), a torch and portable radio with spare batteries, a whistle, a notebook with emergency numbers, tools such as a multipurpose knife and rope, and photocopies of your documents ². The backpack also has sections for babies, women, older adults and pets ². The full list, line by line, is on our official kit page.

What goes in the reserve box?

Water (2.5 L), non-perishable food for days 2 to 4 (instant soup, canned food, powdered or canned milk, cereal bars, sweets, chocolate), hygiene items, warm clothing and a fleece blanket, and household items such as a pot, a thermos, disposable tableware, spare batteries and an umbrella ². The amount of food depends on the family ².

How should I adapt and maintain the kit?

INDECI gives three practical rules ²:

• adapt the contents to your family's needs and to your geographic area;
• renew items according to their expiry dates;
• you do not need a new backpack: any bag in good condition will do.

The Survival Combo is one step of INDECI's Family Emergency Plan workbook, which also covers safe zones, evacuation routes, meeting points and a communication plan ³. See our family plan guide and food shelf life guide.

Frequently asked questions

Is 8 kg per backpack a rule?

It is INDECI's guide figure: one backpack per two people, weighing about 8 kg, so it can be carried during an evacuation ².

Do I take the reserve box when I evacuate?

No. The reserve box is not carried during evacuation; it stays in a dry, protected place, such as the car or the garden, for days 2 to 4 ².

Is Peru's kit designed for earthquakes?

INDECI presents it with its earthquake preparedness material ¹, but the same family plan covers tsunamis and floods ³. See our earthquake preparedness guide.

How does Peru's kit compare with a 72-hour kit?

It covers four days instead of three, split between a backpack and a box ². Our 72-hour kit guide compares the usual approaches.

Sources

1. Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil (INDECI) — Comprobar si estás preparado para un sismo — https://www.gob.pe/institucion/indeci/pages/10169-comprobar-si-estas-preparado-para-un-sismo (accessed 2026-10-20)
2. Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil (INDECI) — Tríptico "El combo de la supervivencia" — https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/1065226/TRIPTICO-COMBO-SUPERVIVENCIA-WEB-2019.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
3. Instituto Nacional de Defensa Civil (INDECI) — Cuaderno de Trabajo: Plan Familiar de Emergencia "La Seguridad Empieza en Casa" - Aprendiendo el IUEAO de una familia preparada — https://cdn.www.gob.pe/uploads/document/file/1424484/Plan%20Familiar%20de%20Emergencia%20(accesible).pdf.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)