What governments are telling households now.
War, cyber attacks, blackouts and storms have pushed dozens of countries to ask people to keep supplies at home. Here's what each one actually says, checked against the official source.
Global
Why Governments Now Tell Households to Stockpile: 18 Compared
Why so many governments now say keep emergency supplies at home, from 72 hours to 10 days, with a country-by-country comparison table checked against official sites.
1 November 2026
GlobalCyber Attacks on Power, Water and Hospitals: What Households Can DoHow cyber attacks on power, water, hospitals, payments and phone networks can affect your home, with real incidents and official advice on supplies and cyber hygiene.
DenmarkDenmark's Three-Day Crisis Preparedness Advice for HouseholdsDenmark asks every household to manage for three days in a crisis. What 'Prepared for crises' lists, from 9 litres of water per person to an FM radio, and what's new.
GlobalDrought and Water Shortages: How to Prepare Your HouseholdHow to prepare for drought, water restrictions and supply cuts: lessons from Cape Town's Day Zero, how much water to store, ways to save water and keeping it safe.
EuropeThe EU's 72-Hour Advice: What the Preparedness Strategy Asks of YouThe EU wants every household able to cope for at least 72 hours in a crisis. What the Preparedness Union Strategy says, what has happened since, and what to stock.
GlobalHow to Make a Family Emergency Communications PlanMake a family emergency communication plan for when phones and internet fail: meeting points, an out-of-area contact, a printed contact list, radio and emergency alerts.
FinlandFinland's 72-Hour Home Preparedness Advice, ExplainedFinland's 72 hours advice asks every household to cope alone for three days. What 72tuntia.fi and the Suomi.fi preparedness guide say to store, plus 2025–2026 news.
GlobalFlood and Flash Flood Preparedness: A Household GuideHow to prepare your household for floods and flash floods: flood warnings, a flood kit, protecting documents, safe drinking water and why never to enter floodwater.
GermanyGermany's 10-Day Emergency Supplies: What the BBK RecommendsGermany's BBK asks households to stock emergency supplies for 10 days (at least 3). Water per person, food amounts and what is new in the 2025 guide.
GlobalHeatwave and Power Cut: How to Keep Your Household SafeHow to prepare for a heatwave power cut: staying cool without electricity, how much water to store in hot weather, heat-sensitive medicines and who is most at risk.
GlobalHurricane, Typhoon and Cyclone Season: What Supplies You NeedHow many days of supplies to keep for hurricane, typhoon or cyclone season, what official agencies advise, and how long power cuts lasted after recent storms.
EuropeThe Iberian Blackout of April 2025: What Happened and What to LearnWhat the 28 April 2025 Spain and Portugal blackout did to trains, phones, card payments and water, what investigators found, and how to prepare your home.
JapanJapan's Earthquake Stockpile Advice and the Rolling Stock MethodJapan's official home stockpile advice: at least 3 days, ideally a week, the rolling stock method of eat-and-replace, and how Nankai Trough megaquake advisories work.
EuropeWhy Central Banks Now Say: Keep Some Cash at HomeHow much emergency cash to keep at home: what the Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Norwegian and Spanish central banks advise, which notes to keep and how to store them.
NetherlandsDenk Vooruit: the Dutch 72-Hour Emergency Kit ExplainedThe Netherlands' Denk vooruit campaign asks households to manage 72 hours without power, water or internet. The noodpakket list, 3 litres of water a day and €70 cash.
NorwayNorway's One-Week Self-Preparedness Advice: What DSB AsksNorway's DSB now asks households to manage on their own for one week, not three days. What the brochure lists, from 20 litres of water to a DAB radio.
EuropePoland and the Baltics' Civil Defence Guides ComparedPoland's 2025 Safety Guide and the household guides from Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia: who publishes them, how many days they ask for and what to stock.
GlobalSolar Storms and the Power Grid: The Real Risk and How to PrepareWhat the May 2024 solar storm and later space weather did to power grids and GPS, what NOAA and the UK risk register say, and calm steps to prepare your home.
South AfricaSouth Africa's Power and Water Outages: Where Things Stand in 2026Is load-shedding over? Eskom's 2025–2026 record, load reduction, Johannesburg and Rand Water outages, and how South African households can prepare for both.
SwedenSweden's 'If Crisis or War Comes': What It Asks Households to DoSweden's 'If Crisis or War Comes' brochure asks every household to cope for at least a week. Here is its advice on water, food, heat, radio and cash.
SwitzerlandSwitzerland's Emergency Stockpile (Notvorrat): The Official ListSwitzerland's official Notvorrat advice from FONES: about a week of food, 9 litres of water per person, the full shopping list and the 2024–2026 campaign.
United KingdomUK 'Be Ready' Campaign: What the Government Asks Households to DoThe UK government's emergency advice explained: the Be Ready campaign (formerly Prepare), the 3-day kit checklist, Emergency Alerts and practical steps for UK homes.
EuropeUndersea Cable Cuts: What an Internet Outage Means for Your HomeBaltic and Red Sea cable cuts explained, what an internet or mobile outage would mean for your household, and how to stay informed without internet.
United States and CanadaUS and Canada 72-Hour Kits: What Ready.gov and Get Prepared SayWhat Ready.gov and Canada's Get Prepared say about a 72-hour emergency kit: water per person per day, what to pack, 2025–2026 changes, and when to plan for longer.
GlobalWildfire Evacuation: How to Pack a Go-Bag and Leave in TimeWhat to pack in a wildfire go-bag, when to leave, how evacuation warnings work and how to protect your lungs from smoke, with lessons from the 2025 Los Angeles fires.
GlobalWinter Storms and Cold Snaps: Staying Warm When the Power FailsHow to prepare for a winter storm power cut: staying warm safely, avoiding carbon monoxide, protecting pipes and water, with lessons from Texas and Ireland.How many days would your household last?
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