In Indonesia, prepare a lightweight, easy-to-grab disaster bag with drinking water, durable food, identity papers, medication and communication essentials—then keep heavier household water and meals separately. Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) describes the Tas Siaga Bencana (TSB) as a bag intended to help a family during roughly three days before help arrives and to make evacuation easier. The aim is readiness—not a promise that a person can or must physically carry all three days of water, or that it is always safe to remain home for three days.
For one adult, a useful three-day home menu starts with three breakfasts and six main portions. A couple needs six breakfasts and twelve mains; a four-person household begins with twelve breakfasts and twenty-four mains, adjusted to ages and medical needs. But the bag needs the fraction you can carry quickly along a safe route. Indonesia's risks are highly local: inland flood, urban earthquake and coastal tsunami exposure do not call for the same departure decision.
Home reserve versus a bag you can really lift
| Keep at home while safe | Put in a portable Tas Siaga Bencana |
|---|---|
| Three-day meal reserve and accessible sealed water, plus sanitation water where feasible | Some clean drinking water and high-energy, ready-to-eat food that will not leak |
| Spare supplies for infants, allergies, pets and medical needs | Copies of passports/KTP/KITAS as relevant, family documents in a waterproof sleeve |
| Household torch, hygiene supplies and heavy water bottles stored securely | Essential prescribed medicine and first aid, glasses, whistle, torch, radio or phone, power bank, small cash |
| A written family contact/meeting plan and local hazard map | Clothing/rain protection suitable for the route; bag located near the safe exit |
BNPB's three-day bag guidance includes documents, spare clothes, snacks, water, first aid, mobile/radio/charger, hygiene, masks, a whistle, cash and lighting. Prioritise life and safe movement over perfect bag weight. A full three-day kit may be impossible to carry if it is loaded with all the household's water, especially for a child.
A shopping calculation for 1, 2 and 4 people
The BNPB sources specify about three days of provision, but do not define one universal number of litres per person in the cited bag material. To show bottle math, the table below uses an illustrative personal home-shopping assumption of 3 L/person/day. This is not an official Indonesian minimum, not a medical recommendation, and does not establish how much water you must carry while evacuating.
| Household, 3 days | Illustrative home water at 3 L/person/day | If using 1.5 L bottles | Practical three-day food count |
|---|---|---|---|
| One adult | 9 L | 6 bottles | 3 breakfasts + 6 main portions |
| Two adults | 18 L | 12 bottles | 6 breakfasts + 12 main portions |
| Four people | 36 L | 24 bottles | 12 breakfasts + 24 main portions |
Thirty-six litres of water is roughly 36 kg without the bottle weight. It belongs in a safe home reserve, not on the back of a child escaping a coastal hazard. Formula preparation, extreme heat, healthcare, sanitation and animals may all require extra quantities or a different safe-water arrangement. A person moving to safety should carry only what is feasible without delaying departure.
One adult's simple basket might include three breakfasts of dry cereal or crackers plus individually sized unopened UHT drinks; six real ready-to-eat main portions such as canned fish or beans, labelled cooked shelf-stable meals, plus fruit and a small snack reserve. If packaged rice or mi instan still needs boiling, do not count it as a meal for the first day without electricity, gas or running water. Check the calorie and portion content rather than calling one small snack a complete meal. For a family of four, select foods that meet allergies, halal requirements and the actual ages in the household.
Where to buy before a warning
Check familiar shops such as Indomaret, Alfamart, Hypermart or a local grocery/warung for sealed water, crackers, canned food, long-life drinks, ready-to-eat foods, torches, hygiene items and compact bags. Their names are ordinary shopping channels, not real-time inventory or price claims. A six-pack of 1.5 L bottles gives 9 L; one, two and four packs yield 9, 18 and 36 L for the sample home calculation. Prices vary across islands, delivery regions and days; do not plan an urgent purchase based on an old online catalogue figure.
Where suitable, use foods you already eat, keeping a little extra and buying replacements after use. Store unopened provisions dry, pest-resistant and away from excessive heat, at the label's recommended temperature. An opened shelf-stable carton or cooked pouch may need refrigeration; smaller servings are better if power may fail. Discard food exposed to floodwater; smell and taste cannot guarantee safety.
Indonesia's three very different evacuation moments
| Situation | What the stored food plan means | Next move |
|---|---|---|
| Inland flood, house and exits still safe | A three-day pantry helps with temporary supply disruption | Watch local BPBD (regional disaster management agency) and official alerts; move early if routes are threatened or authorities instruct |
| Earthquake, away from the coast | After shaking, food may help only if the building is safe | Drop, Cover and Hold On during shaking; then move away from damaged structures using local instructions |
| Coastal strong or long earthquake / tsunami natural signs | Pantry duration is irrelevant to evacuation timing | Evacuate immediately to designated high/safe ground once you can move safely, without waiting for a phone warning or collecting household stock |
The Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics Agency (BMKG) explains natural tsunami warning signs and that people near the coast should not wait for a formal instruction after a strong or long earthquake. For shaking, first protect yourself until it subsides; then follow the mapped escape route. Find out your area's BPBD evacuation point and high-ground route in advance. Don't assume rules for a Jakarta apartment are the same as rules for a low-lying coastal rental.
The failure case: a visitor renting near the sea feels strong prolonged shaking and decides to stay long enough to pack all 36 L of family water, because the bag is advertised as a “three-day kit.” That choice can cost the time needed to reach high ground. Leave immediately when the coastal natural-warning conditions apply, with only a light bag if already within reach; a stocked home is no substitute for escaping.
A realistic 15-minute packing routine
Place a waterproof sleeve for IDs and documents, a few ready-to-eat portions, prescribed medication, a phone power bank and a torch near a safe exit. Put the heavy water supply and regular food in a dry household storage place, not across the doorway. Walk through your family's meeting point and local earthquake/flood/tsunami route. Review packaged-food dates periodically and replace what you use. Include special food, medicine and supplies for any child, disabled person or pet; those are distinct from an adult's meal count.
The useful distinction is not how impressive your bag looks. It is knowing what remains at home, what you can carry and when you must leave without it. This three-day BNPB concept is preparedness advice, not a current disaster forecast, universal water rule or guarantee of rescue timing.
For a new renter: Indonesia's housing guide explains practical questions to ask a property manager, while the daily living-cost guide helps set an ordinary grocery budget. Ask the manager where the local safe exit and assembly point are; these general guides do not replace BPBD or BMKG instructions.