# What should go in an emergency go-bag in Taiwan?

One backpack per person with 1 to 3 days of supplies. Taiwan’s official go-bag checklist in English: what to pack, how much water, where to keep it, and when to check it.

Published: 2026-09-29 · Last updated: 2026-09-29 · Shelter data: September 2026 edition, 98,028 shelters

An emergency go-bag is a backpack you can carry, packed with what you’ll need if you have to leave home in a hurry. Taiwan’s National Public Safety Guide recommends one for each person, with supplies for at least 1 to 3 days. This page puts the checklists from Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense and National Fire Agency together in English, then covers where to keep the bag and how often to check it.

## What’s the difference between a go-bag and home supplies?

A go-bag is what you grab when home isn’t safe and you have to leave. Pack one per person, with at least 1 to 3 days of supplies.

Home supplies are for sheltering at home. Prepare them for the whole household, for at least 7 days, with at least 3 liters of water per person per day.

You need both. A go-bag is smaller and cheaper, so start there.

## What goes in a go-bag?

Below is the Ministry of National Defense’s recommended list, sorted into eight groups. You don’t have to buy everything at once. Start with what you already have at home.

### Water and food

  - Drinking water: 2 bottles, 600 ml each

  - Food that needs no cooking: canned food, instant rice, rice crackers, ration biscuits

  - Energy snacks: nutrition bars, dried fruit, nuts, chocolate, candy

Pick food that keeps at room temperature, doesn’t spoil easily, and won’t make you thirsty.

### Hygiene

  - Face masks, tissues

  - Disinfecting wipes or alcohol spray

  - Period products (if needed)

  - Small towel

  - Simple water purifier

### Medical

  - Wound ointment and basic bandages

  - Everyday medicines and your prescription medicines

  - Glasses or disposable contact lenses (if needed)

  - Thermometer

### Light and communication

  - Flashlight or headlamp, with batteries

  - Whistle, to signal for help if you’re trapped

  - Portable radio, for news when there’s no internet

  - Paper evacuation map and contact list: your family’s meeting place, phone numbers of family and friends, and key government hotlines. If you’re a foreign resident, add your country’s representative office in Taiwan.

### Warmth and heat protection

  - Light raincoat and jacket

  - Emergency blanket or small sleeping bag, such as a foil blanket

  - Hat, umbrella, sunscreen

### ID and cash

  - Copies of your ID, National Health Insurance (NHI) card, and bankbook. For foreign residents, the ID means your passport and ARC (Alien Resident Certificate).

  - Some cash

Copies can be on paper or photos saved on your phone. Keep paper copies in a waterproof zip bag.

### Power

  - Batteries in the right sizes

  - Charging cables

  - A fully charged power bank

  - Small hand-crank generator

### Other tools

  - Work gloves (cut- and abrasion-resistant)

  - Plastic bags

  - Helmet, ideally clipped to the outside of the bag

  - Paper and pen

  - Reusable utensils

  - Lighter or matches

  - Small tools such as a Swiss Army knife and a can opener

  - Comfortable walking shoes

## How much water should I pack?

In the go-bag, 2 bottles of 600 ml per person. That’s the Ministry of National Defense’s recommendation.

The National Fire Agency adds a rule of thumb: the least you need to drink in a day is 15 ml per kilogram of body weight. A 60 kg person needs about 900 ml a day.

Water stored at home is much more: at least 3 liters per person per day. Bottled water has an expiry date, so write the purchase date on it.

## What extra do children, older people, and pets need?

  - Babies: formula, bottles, diapers

  - Older people: senior-friendly food, denture cleaner, hearing aid batteries

  - Chronic conditions: enough medicine for the days you’re preparing for, plus the pharmacy bag or a copy of the prescription. If a medical device needs power, bring a backup power source.

  - Pets: pet food, waste supplies, a leash, the owner’s contact details

If it won’t all fit in one backpack, use a second bag that’s easy to grab. What matters is that you can take it with you.

## Where should I keep it, and how heavy can it be?

Keep it where it’s easy to reach and quick to grab on the way out, such as by the front door. Make sure everyone at home knows where it is.

Use a backpack you can actually carry. The usual guideline is about 15 kg for men and 10 kg for women. Adjust for your own strength.

You can also pack a few smaller bags for your bedside, your car, or your desk drawer at work.

## How often should I check it?

Every six months. Both the Ministry of National Defense and the National Fire Agency recommend this. Write the date of each check on the outside of the bag so you remember the next one.

Mark expiry dates on everything. Eat food that’s about to expire, then replace it. Replace anything that’s broken.

While you’re at it, recharge the power bank and check the batteries for leaks. When someone’s medicine changes or the kids grow, update the bag.

## How do I prepare with Kuku?

In Kuku 防災助手, the Prepare tab has a free “1 day of essentials” checklist. Enter how many people you’re preparing for and it works out the quantities. For 2 people, that’s 4 bottles of 600 ml water.

Check items off one by one. Your checkmarks stay on your phone. You can also turn on a monthly reminder to recheck.

To mark shelters on your evacuation map, use Kuku to find a few near your home and work. [Where can I find a bomb shelter near me in Taiwan?](https://kuku.best/en/find-shelter/) shows how.

The 1-day list is a starting point. The official guidance is at least 1 to 3 days for a go-bag and at least 7 days of home supplies. Full checklists for 3 days, 1 week, 2 weeks, and 1 month come with Kuku Plus, a one-time purchase, not a subscription.

## What is this checklist based on?

It follows two pages of the Ministry of National Defense’s National Public Safety Guide, [preparing an emergency go-bag](https://prepare.mnd.gov.tw/emergency-supplies/go-bag) and [everyday home supplies](https://prepare.mnd.gov.tw/emergency-supplies/household-supplies), and the National Fire Agency’s [emergency go-bag checklist](https://www.nfa.gov.tw/cht/index.php?code=list&flag=detail&ids=1468&article_id=18936). These pages are in Chinese. The guide also comes as an [English PDF](https://prepare.mnd.gov.tw/assets/pdf/manual.en.pdf).

The National Fire Agency’s list comes in 1-, 2-, and 3-day versions you can download and print, including in English.

Official guidance can change, so the official sites come first. We last checked this page against them in September 2026.

## Please note

Kuku 防災助手 is not a government service. In an emergency, follow government alerts and instructions on site.

Kuku 防災助手 is an independently developed offline lookup tool. It can’t receive or push alerts. The data is for reference only. A shelter may have changed or may not be open, so check conditions on site before you set out. For a fire, an injury, or a crime, call 119 or 110.

## Related reading

- [What is Taiwan’s Urban Resilience Exercise? What should I do when the siren sounds?](https://kuku.best/en/air-raid-drill/)
- [Which emergency apps should you install in Taiwan?](https://kuku.best/en/disaster-apps/)
- [Where can I find a bomb shelter near me in Taiwan?](https://kuku.best/en/find-shelter/)
- [Can you go into an air-raid shelter on a normal day?](https://kuku.best/en/shelter-access/)
- [How many air-raid shelters does each Taiwan city and county have? (September 2026 edition)](https://kuku.best/en/shelters-by-county/)
- [FAQ on the home page](https://kuku.best/en/#faq)

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