Poland's official emergency kit checklist, item by item

Short answer. Poland's 2025 Safety Guide (Poradnik bezpieczeństwa) asks each household to keep home supplies for at least 3 days: at least 3 litres of drinking water per person per day, ready-to-eat food, a first-aid kit, hygiene products, lighting and communication, warm bedding, cash, basic tools and a non-electric heat source ¹. Each household member also needs an evacuation backpack ¹.

What is on the official home-supply list?

Line by line, as listed in the Safety Guide ¹:

• Drinking water: at least 3 litres per person per day.
• Ready-to-eat food (e.g. tinned food, crackers, bars): for at least 3 days.
• First-aid kit: regular medicines, painkillers, anti-inflammatories, anti-nausea and anti-diarrhoea medicines, gauze, bandages, burn dressings, disposable gloves, antiseptics, tourniquet, thermometer, scissors, FFP3 masks, thermal blanket.
• Cleaning and personal hygiene products: toilet paper, wet wipes, sanitary pads, nappies, disinfectants, rubbish bags, bucket with lid.
• Lighting and communication: battery or crank torch and radio, charged phone, charger, charged power bank, matching cables and batteries, household candles, lighter.
• Blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing.
• Cash in various denominations.
• Tools and equipment: tape, plastic sheeting, sealing kits.
• Alternative heating source that does not run on electricity.

The guide gives quantities only for water and food; for the other items it does not specify amounts ¹. It asks households to check supplies every few months ¹.

How much water is that for my household?

At least 3 litres per person per day for at least 3 days ¹:

For how needs vary with climate, health and activity, see how much water to store per person.

What goes in each evacuation backpack?

One per household member ¹:

• Bottled water; water filters or purification tablets
• First-aid kit, personal medicines, hygiene and disinfection products
• Documents, copies on a USB stick, cash in various denominations
• Battery or crank torch and radio, charged phone and power bank, charger, cables, spare batteries
• Seasonal clothing, rainwear, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, thermal blanket
• Alternative communication (e.g. walkie-talkie)
• High-energy ready-to-eat food (energy bars, dried fruit, nuts)
• An important personal item (e.g. photo, family keepsake)
• Pocket knife or multitool, lighter, rubbish bags, printed maps

How does this compare with a general 72-hour kit?

The Polish minimum of 3 days matches the common 72-hour approach. Our guide what goes in a 72-hour emergency kit compares recommendations from several agencies. For people with specific needs, see children, seniors and people on medication and pets. Food rotation is covered in emergency food shelf life.

What about ready-made kits?

If you consider a ready-made kit, compare it line by line with the checklist above: the official list is the reference, not any product.

Frequently asked questions

Does the Polish list include masks?

Yes. FFP3 masks are part of the first-aid kit in the Safety Guide ¹.

Does the Polish guide recommend a tourniquet?

Yes. A tourniquet is listed in the first-aid kit ¹.

Why does the list include a bucket with a lid and plastic sheeting?

Both are on the official list: the bucket with lid under hygiene products, and plastic sheeting with tape and sealing kits under tools and equipment ¹. The guide does not specify quantities for them ¹.

Do I need a backpack for each person?

Yes. The guide lists a separate evacuation backpack for each household member ¹.

Sources

1. Rząd Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej (publication 1/2025, ISBN 978-83-976775-0-0) — Poradnik bezpieczeństwa — https://poradnikbezpieczenstwa.gov.pl/ (accessed 2026-10-20)