Emergency Preparedness Week 2026 – September 21–27
In Sweden, Emergency Preparedness Week takes place every year during week 39 and is a way to highlight how to be better prepared if society is subjected to a serious disruption.
We are used to things working.
We turn on the tap and get water. We press a button and the lights come on. We buy food when the fridge is empty, charge our phones, and cook dinner on the stove.
It is easy to forget how much of our everyday life relies on all of this functioning.
But what happens when it doesn't?
A prolonged power outage. Issues with the water supply. The internet or mobile network goes down. A cold winter day when the heat disappears.
That is when preparedness becomes something more than just a checklist.
It is about being able to solve problems when the usual ways no longer work.
Photo: Henrik Bodin
Start with what you already know
For those who enjoy outdoor life, much of the mindset regarding preparedness is already familiar.
We learn how to build a fire, cook food without a standard kitchen, stay warm, find our way, and use simple tools. We learn to plan for the weather and to get by with what we have.
It is the same basic thinking that can be useful at home.
Not because we should live as if we are in the wilderness – but because we may sometimes need to do things that we normally let society's infrastructure do for us.
What is your alternative?
If the electricity goes out – how do you get light and heat?
If the stove does not work – how do you cook food?
If the water goes out – where do you get water?
If the phone runs out of charge – how do you get important information?
Preparedness often begins by asking exactly those questions.
Water – the most important thing first
Water is a good place to start.
In the event of a serious disruption, it may be difficult to get water from the tap. The Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency recommends that you plan for approximately 3–5 liters of water per person per day to be able to drink, cook, and manage basic hygiene.
That does not mean you have to buy a lot of water all at once.
Start with a few clean canisters or bottles intended for water. Store them in a cool, dark place and check the water regularly. If you have pets, you naturally need to think about their water as well.
Your local authority may organize locations where water is distributed if the regular water supply stops working. But then you still need to be able to manage at home until you can pick up water.
A simple tip is also to keep a few water bottles in the freezer. They act as ice packs during a power outage and can provide you with drinking water once the ice has melted.
Stay warm
Heat is important.
If the power goes out during winter, the temperature indoors can drop quite quickly. Gather the family in one room, close off the rest of the home, and use blankets, sleeping bags, sleeping mats, and warm clothes to retain heat.
Wool clothes, a hat, gloves, and proper socks don't take up much space but can make a big difference.
It is also good to think about how you could cook or get heat without electricity. A camping stove or other alternative can be useful – but only if you know how to use it and follow the safety instructions.
Knowledge is an important part of the equipment.
Food – think everyday life, not catastrophe
You don't need to build up a stockpile of food that you never eat.
Start with things you already use and like, but feel free to choose food that lasts a long time and can be stored at room temperature.
Rice, pasta, grains, crispbread, canned goods, beans, lentils, nuts, peanut butter, cooking oil, and dried fruit are some examples. Food that is quick to cook and doesn't require much water or energy is especially practical.
A simple way to build up a stock is to buy one or two extra items each time you go grocery shopping.
After a while, you will have a buffer without having to make a large purchase.
Photo: Henrik Bodin
Information when the mobile doesn't work
In a crisis, you need to be able to get information from authorities and keep in touch with family and friends.
A battery-operated radio, or a radio that can be charged with a crank or solar cell, can therefore be good to have. Also, keep extra batteries and a charged power bank.
Consider writing down important phone numbers on paper.
And think about a simple thing together with your family:
Where do we meet if we cannot call each other?
It can be a very simple plan – but it is better to have thought it through before something happens.
When the toilet doesn't work
It may not be the most pleasant thing to think about, but it is part of preparedness.
If the water supply stops working, you cannot count on being able to flush the toilet as usual.
Therefore, keep toilet paper, wet wipes, hand sanitizer, and trash bags at home. A bucket with a lid and materials like sawdust or litter can also be useful.
Always follow the local authority's information on how waste should be handled during a disruption.
Photo: Henrik Bodin
Don't forget the small things
Much of what is useful in a crisis takes up very little space.
A headlamp or flashlight. Extra batteries. First aid kit. A can opener. Matches and fire-starting material. A power bank. Cash. Hygiene products.
If you have medications you depend on, it is also wise to plan so that you have a sufficient supply at home.
And the car? Try not to let the fuel tank go completely empty. If you have an electric car, it is worth thinking about the same thing regarding the charge.
Cash is still useful
If payment systems go down, it may become difficult to use cards or digital payments.
Therefore, it is wise to keep some cash at home, preferably in different denominations, while maintaining other ways to pay.
It is not about expecting a catastrophe.
It is about having an alternative.
Equipment helps – knowledge makes the difference
This is perhaps the part of preparedness that is closest to Casström.
A knife is a tool. A camping stove is a tool. An axe, compass, or flashlight are as well.
But the equipment itself does not solve the problem.
It is the knowledge of how to use it that makes it valuable.
Being able to build a fire with a fire steel. Being able to whittle dry kindling. Being able to cook a simple meal on a camping stove. Being able to read a map when the phone no longer helps you.
These are skills that get better by being used.
And that is perhaps the best form of preparedness: not just gathering things, but actually being able to use them.
Start small
Preparedness doesn't need to start with a big shopping list.
Start at home and go through a simple scenario:
The power goes out tomorrow – and doesn't come back on for three days.
What do you need?
What do you already have?
What is missing?
Maybe you need more water. Maybe some extra batteries. Maybe a way to cook without electricity. Maybe it's time to take out the camping stove and actually use it.
Or you might realize that you already have most things – but that you don't really know where they are or how they work.
That is also preparedness.
Photo: Henrik Bodin
Preparedness is not about expecting the worst
For us, preparedness is less about trying to predict catastrophes and more about being comfortable with solving problems.
Being able to use what you have.
Being able to adapt.
Having an alternative when the usual way doesn't work.
That is the same thinking that makes outdoor life so rewarding.
And that is perhaps why many of the skills we learn out in nature also have an obvious place in our preparedness at home.
So you can start with something simple.
Look around at home.
Think through what would happen if the electricity, water, or communication disappeared.
What would you do if the usual systems stopped working?