In an emergency, call 911 (US) or 999 (UK) and follow instructions from local officials first.
Ready Survival Kits

War & crisis

Preparing for war or a national crisis

How civil defence agencies tell households to prepare for war or a long national emergency.

By The Ready TeamExpert review: pendingSources checked 29 October 2026

Quick card · Preparing for war or a national crisisSources checked 29 Oct 2026

Before

  • Be ready to manage on your own for at least a week. 1
  • Store water: about 3 to 5 liters per adult per day. Check it once or twice a year. 2
  • Keep cash in case card payments stop working. 1
  • Keep a battery, solar or hand-crank radio, spare batteries and charged power banks. 1
  • Write key phone numbers on paper: family, neighbors, hospital, local council or municipality, and your energy company. 1
  • Have a way to cook without power, preferably outdoors, plus sleeping bags, blankets and warm clothes. 1
  • Ask your doctor about keeping a longer supply of prescription medicines. 1

During

  • Follow official instructions and alerts from your government. 1
  • For a nuclear or radiation threat: get inside, stay inside, stay tuned. 3

What to have

  • At least a week of water and food 1 2
  • Battery, solar or crank radio and power banks 1
  • Camping stove and fuel, for outdoor use 1
  • Cash in small notes 1
  • Sleeping bags and warm clothing 1

Why we use Sweden’s guidance

The United States doesn’t publish a civilian war-preparedness booklet. Sweden’s Civil Defence and Resilience Agency does, and sends it to every household. Its advice is practical and works anywhere. 4

The core of it

  • A week on your own. Sweden asks people to be self-sufficient for at least one week, and notes that 72 hours is better than nothing. 1
  • Water. Expect an adult to need 3 to 5 liters a day. Store it in clean, sealed containers somewhere dark and cool, and check it once or twice a year. 2
  • Heat and cooking. Keep a stove and fuel, preferably for use outdoors, and warm bedding and clothes. Alternative heaters can run on kerosene, LPG, diesel or wood, and need ventilation. 1
  • Communication. A radio that doesn’t need mains power, spare batteries, charged power banks, and a paper list of numbers. 1
  • Money. Cash, in case card payments stop working. 1

Stay with official sources

In a conflict, rumors spread fast. Follow your government’s alerts and emergency broadcasts, and check claims against official channels before acting on them.

Sources

  1. Swedish Civil Defence and Resilience Agency (MCF), Basics of Home Preparedness
  2. MCF, Access to Water During a Crisis
  3. CDC, Radiation Emergencies: Get Inside
  4. MCF, The brochure In Case of Crisis or War