Finland’s 72-hour supplies: what 72hours.fi recommends

Finland’s 72hours.fi programme, run with the Finnish National Rescue Association, is one of Europe’s most complete household lists. It’s notable for including fire safety (a smoke alarm and extinguisher or fire blanket), firewood and lidded water containers, not just bottled water.

The official numbers

• Self-reliance: 72 hours
• Water: at least 5 litres bottled per person, plus lidded containers

What 72hours.fi / SPEK (Finnish National Rescue Association) recommends

Gear

• Smoke alarm
• Fire extinguisher
• Fire blanket
• First aid kit (home)
• Flashlight / torch
• Water container with lid and tap
• Portable gas stove
• Lighter and waterproof matches
• Power bank
• Spare batteries
• Blankets and warm clothing
• Emergency radio
• Pencil and notebook
• Iodine tablets (potassium iodide)
• Duct tape
• Playing cards, games, books
• Hatchet

Supplies to buy

• Bottled drinking water
• Long-life food (ready to eat)
• Pet food and water
• Stove fuel cartridges
• Hand sanitiser
• Wet wipes
• Toilet paper
• Heavy-duty bin bags and ties

To arrange

• Personal medication supply
• Cash in small notes and coins

What the authorities advise beyond the kit

• Know the general warning signal: a rising and falling tone lasting one minute. Go inside at once, close doors, windows, vents and ventilation, and turn on the radio (Yle). The all-clear is a steady one-minute tone.
• The monthly test is a steady seven-second tone at 12:00 on the first working Monday of the month. No action needed.
• Avoid phone calls and unnecessary messages during an emergency, so the networks stay free for the emergency services.

Food to keep at home

The official list names specific foods: see the printable list below.

General advice from the official food lists:

• Stock food you already eat, and rotate it: use the oldest first and replace it, so nothing expires unnoticed.
• For 72 hours, choose food that keeps at room temperature and can be eaten without cooking: tins, crispbread, dried fruit, nuts, muesli, long-life milk.
• For a week or longer, add dry staples such as rice, pasta, oats and pulses, plus oil, salt and sugar, and a stove to cook on.
• Dry staples need water to cook: count it in your water stock.
• Store food cool, dry and dark, in airtight containers once opened.
• Allow for babies, special diets, allergies and pets.
• Keep a manual can opener, and throw away tins that are swollen, dented or rusty.

Printable Finland food list. Print it or save it as a PDF.

What other governments add

These appear on most of the 12 official lists we compared, but not on this one:

• Multitool / pocket knife (5 of 12 lists)

Build your kit

Every item above is in our L1 kit (72 hours). Use the household calculator to get quantities for your household, and download the shopping list for the supplies you’ll buy at the supermarket and pharmacy.

FAQ

How long should an emergency kit last in Finland? 72 hours, according to 72hours.fi / SPEK (Finnish National Rescue Association).

Do I need to buy a ready-made kit? No. Building your own from the official list is cheaper and you know what’s in it. Our picks cover the gear; the rest comes from the supermarket.

Source: 72hours.fi / SPEK (Finnish National Rescue Association). Last reviewed: October 2026.