New Zealand
Being prepared in New Zealand
What official guidance in New Zealand recommends, how much water to store, emergency numbers, and calculators, checklists and food guides.
NZ guidance: be able to look after yourself and those in your care for at least 3 days.1
What official guidance recommends
- NZ guidance: be able to look after yourself and those in your care for at least 3 days.1
- Wellington's emergency office recommends at least 3 litres of drinking water per person per day for seven days (21 litres each).2
- NEMA advises food for at least 3 days and ideally 2 weeks.1
What to have in your kit
- NZ recommends keeping emergency items at home, in a grab bag, in your car and at work.1
How much water to store
Drinking water at the Wellington region's figure:
| People | 3 days | 7 days | 14 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 9 L | 21 L | 42 L |
| 2 | 18 L | 42 L | 84 L |
| 4 | 36 L | 84 L | 168 L |
| 6 | 54 L | 126 L | 252 L |
Emergency numbers
| Number | What it's for |
|---|---|
| 111 | Emergency: police, fire, ambulance3 |
Staying informed
- In NZ, alerts come via Emergency Mobile Alerts, the Govt.nz app, radio, civil defence channels and TV.1
Calculators
Work out how much water and food your household needs, and how long what you have would last.
CalculatorsCalculator
3 Lper person per day (SupKit)
Emergency water calculator
Work out how much drinking water your household needs for 3, 7 or 14 days, including pets.
CalculatorsCalculator
9,414 kJ (2,250 Cal)kJ a day for an adult
Emergency food calculator
Work out how much emergency food your household needs in kJ, with a sample shopping list from everyday long-life food.
CalculatorsCalculator
1.2 La day for a medium dog
Pet water calculator
How much water to store for your dogs, cats, rabbits and birds in an emergency, from SupKit's estimates by species and size.
Food storage
How much long-life food to store, what's on the label and when to start using it.
Food storage2 min read
1,318kJ per tin (SupKit estimate)
Baked beans in your emergency supplies
How many tins of baked beans your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.
Food storage2 min read
1,172kJ per tin (SupKit estimate)
Tinned chickpeas in your emergency supplies
How many tins of tinned chickpeas your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.
Food storage2 min read
1,674kJ per tin (SupKit estimate)
Tinned chilli in your emergency supplies
How many tins of tinned chilli your household needs, what the date on the label means, and allergens to check.
Emergencies
What matters most in a power cut, a flood, a heatwave and more.
Emergencies2 min read
8things that matter most
Preparing for an earthquake
What matters most in an earthquake, what official guidance in New Zealand says, and long-life food that suits it.
Emergencies2 min read
8things that matter most
Preparing for a flood
What matters most in a flood, what official guidance in New Zealand says, and long-life food that suits it.
Emergencies2 min read
10things that matter most
Preparing for a power cut
What matters most in a power cut, what official guidance in New Zealand says, and long-life food that suits it.
Checklists
Emergency kit checklists shaped around the people and pets you live with.
Checklists3 min read
10 Lof water for 3 days
Emergency kit checklist for cat owners
25 things to have ready for a cat owner, with how much water and food to store for 1 adult and a cat.
Checklists3 min read
18 Lof water for 3 days
Household emergency kit checklist
21 things to have ready for a household, with how much water and food to store for 2 adults.
Checklists3 min read
22 Lof water for 3 days
Emergency kit checklist for dog owners
25 things to have ready for a household with a dog, with how much water and food to store for 2 adults and a dog.
Questions
How many days of supplies should I have in New Zealand?
NZ guidance: be able to look after yourself and those in your care for at least 3 days.
What is the emergency number in New Zealand?
111: Emergency: police, fire, ambulance.
Sources
- Home emergency checklist, Govt.nz (citing NEMA). Checked 28 October 2026.
- Store water, Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO). Checked 28 October 2026.
- Power outages, Electricity Authority (New Zealand). Checked 28 October 2026.
We summarise official guidance in our own words. Always follow advice from your local authorities.
