Prepping - A guide to emergency preparedness at home

Published 2026.03.20

What is prepping? 

Prepping is a term that many people probably associate with people in the US who isolate themselves from society and prepare for doomsday. And that, of course,  can naturally scare many people from taking the authorities' recommendations seriously. 

The word ‘prepping’ comes from English and simply means ‘to prepare oneself’, and in reality it is no different than preparing for any other scenario in everyday life. If, for example, there is a risk of rain one day, we bring a raincoat for when it starts. A prepper simply prepares for the future and takes responsibility for their own and their family’s well-being. 

How long should you be able to cope during a crisis? 

According to the Danish Emergency Management Agency, you should have emergency supplies at home that will allow you to survive for at least 3 days. If you put together an emergency kit and stuck up on extra food in the pantry, you're well on your way. You can read the Danish Emergency Management Agency's recommendations here. 

In this article, we share our tips on what you can do and what items you can buy for your emergency preparedness. 

Prepping list for your home emergency preparedness 

Here is our own checklist of essentials for your home emergency kit: 

• Hand-crank or battery-powered radio 
• Head torch, flashlight, torch 
• Jugs or PET bottles of clean water 
• Long-lasting food that can be stored at room temperature 
• Trangia or camping stove with fuel 
• Sleeping bags, warm clothing  and blankets 
• Matches, tea lights and candles 
• Alternative heat source fuelled by wood, paraffin, bottled gas or diesel 
• First-aid kit and medicine 
• Hygiene items 
• Power bank, charged batteries and spare batteries 
• Cash 
• Notebook with important phone numbers and other information 

We naturally already have many of these items at home, but it may be necessary to go hunting for the remaining items in either outdoor shops, supermarkets or various online shops.

What do I need for my home emergency preparedness? 

We can break down home emergency preparedness  into a number of areas to make it a little more manageable: 

Water 

Access to clean water is a necessity of life and therefore the most important thing to have in your emergency kit – having at least three liters of water available per adult per day is recommended. This covers both drinking water and water for your hygiene needs.  

Tip: If you live near the sea or a lake, you can collect water from there in smart buckets for flushing the toilet, for example, so you don’t waste your clean water.   

Buy water containers, and fill them with clean drinking water, which you should then store in a dark, cool place. Change the water regularly to keep it fresh. If the water in your bottles is a few months old when disaster strikes, you should of course drink it anyway if you can't get hold of something new. After all, old water is better than no water at all. 

If you are unsure about the water quality, you can always boil the water first.

Food 

Prepare by stocking up on extra food at home. Choose foods with a long shelf life that can be stored at room temperature. It’s best if much of the food can be eaten without cooking and with little or no water. Alternatively, you can also buy freeze-dried food or field rations that simply need to be heated with a little boiling water. 

Good food items for your home emergency kit typically include canned and dried foods. Eggs are an underrated prepping food. They have a long shelf life, even at room temperature. 

Try to buy food that you also want to eat on a daily basis. That way, you can eat from your emergency stockpile and slowly replenish it with new items, so the use-by date isn’t exceeded. However, it’s important to remember to restock so you don’t suddenly find yourself without food when disaster strikes. If you’d rather keep your stock out of sight,, you can instead write down the expiry dates and wait to eat the food as the date approaches. 

Also, remember that there is a difference between food marked with a “use-by” date and a “best before date”. 

Use-by date: This date should not be exceeded! 

Best before: The food is still fine to eat after this date, as long as it smells and tastes fine. 

Heating 

If there is a power cut during the winter, your home will quickly become cold if you don't have a wood-burning stove, fireplace or cooker. You can prepare by choosing a room where the family can gather. Here, you can make it a bit cosier by laying rugs on the floor and sealing doors and windows. If it gets really cold, you can build a den under a table. Find the winter clothes and the ski underwear, and feel free to fetch sleeping bags for extra warmth.  

It is possible to get extra heat from tea lights, ethanol fireplace or a paraffin heater. But bear in mind the risk of fire, and ensure there is  good ventilation. 

Communication 

It is important to be able to access accurate information from the authorities in the event of a crisis or a serious accident. Check the news via DR or TV2 if you still have access to them. It is a good idea to buy a battery-powered radio, or a hand-crank radio that can receive FM signals, in case the power goes out and radio and internet signals are lost. 

Make sure to keep your mobile phone charged, and consider getting a power bank (extra battery) so you can access a little power even if the power goes out. It’s also a good idea to always keep a few packs of batteries as a backup. 

Write down important phone numbers of family members, friends and the municipality on a piece of paper or in a book.

Payments and cash 

It’s not difficult to imagine the chaos that could ensue if debit cards, MobilePay, and online banking stopped working, which can happen in the event of a power cut, cyberattack or other issues. So it’s a good idea to be prepared with extra cash in small units at home. It also doesn't hurt to have different payment cards available or accounts at different banks.

Medicine and first aid 

Make sure you have enough medication to last at least three days and a first aid kit - just to be on the safe side. If you’re worried that your medication might expire, use it regularly and refill your supply as you go along. And just as with food, if you're worried that you might forget to restock, avoid using the medication until the expiry date is approaching. 

Other 

You should have extra candles ready for when it gets dark and the power goes out. A battery-powered flashlight is fine, but a headlamp might be even more convenient to use, as it leaves your hands free. A hand-crank radio is usually equipped with a flashlight as well. You should also consider getting a kerosene lamp or a torch that is battery-powered or LED. 

Don't forget to have enough of all the necessary hygiene products, such as toilet paper, sanitary napkins, diapers, soap, and wet wipes. 

If you have pets, remember to have enough food and water for them as well. 

To make life a little more enjoyable  during a crisis situation, it can be a good idea  to prepare with games such as a deck of cards and various board games - for cozy moments. 

Stick together in the neighborhood 

It's a good idea not to view prepping as an ‘every man for himself’ project. 

Because in times of crisis, it becomes clear that community has an invaluable strength. Even if you have prepared to fend for yourself, it is essential to remember that not everyone has had the same opportunity. By sticking together in the neighborhood and sharing both resources and information, you can ensure that everyone gets through the crisis in the best possible way. Find out where each other's strengths lie: Can anyone heat their house with a generator? And who can provide basic first aid if necessary? 

In such a situation, it is important to stand together and ensure that no one is alone. If not everyone has been able to invest in an emergency radio, you can gather in one place and listen to the latest news together. And those who have spare warm blankets can share them out. 

More useful advice for emergencies 

Depending on the nature of the crisis, there are of naturally differences in how it should be handled. Is it a situation where everyone needs to stay indoors? Are you in immediate danger? Is it a short-term or longer crisis? This is what you should find out as a matter of priority as soon as you become aware of the crisis.  

More good advice:  

• Make an evacuation plan as part of your preparation, so that you and your family know where to go if something serious happens in your area and it is possible to leave. 
• Listen out for sirens, and go inside first to listen to DR or TV2. Around 80% of the Danish population lives within hearing range of the sirens. But with the new phone-based warning system, no one should be left in the dark. 
• Only listen to information from reliable sources. In times of crisis, a lot of misinformation and disinformation will naturally be spread on social media and news channels. Therefore, it is important to only listen to and be guided by trustworthy media. In Denmark, the recommended sources are DR and TV2. 
• Check in on relatives who need help, if it is possible to contact them. If you live far apart, you can try to make arrangements with your relatives' neighbors in advance. 
• Fill up your car well in advance if the crisis is announced, or make sure to store extra fuel at home. Remember that it is only legal to store up to 25 liters of petrol  in approved containers. During the crisis, you should use fuel sparingly and only drive when absolutely necessary. 

Why do you need to be able to manage for at least three days? 

We live in a society where most things function on a daily basis. But if something extreme happens, such as a crisis or war, you need to be prepared for the fact that society's resources will not be sufficient. The authorities will then have to prioritise so that those in greatest need receive help first. If the population can look after themselves for 3 days, it means that the authorities can focus their attention on the crisis and try to bring it under control more quickly. 

 On June 15, 2024, the Danish government decided to recommend that individuals have at least three days of supplies at home. By reviewing your home preparedness, you take the strain off society, so that those who are truly vulnerable can get the help they need. In addition, you’ll feel much safer if you know that you can look after yourself for a while! 

What could happen? 

There are many examples of scenarios you should prepare for. The most likely is a prolonged power cut. This can happen in the event of extreme weather conditions, such as snowstorms, solar storms and hurricanes, or flooding, forest fires or a crisis. Note that power and water cuts do not always have to be caused by disasters. Sometimes it can simply be a backhoe that, in its daily work, damages cables or pipes in the ground. 

If there is no electricity, the heating in your home will probably stop working too. Cooking will be difficult, and the municipal water supply will stop working. 

Food in the store will sell out, if it is even possible to shop at all. It will not be possible to pay by card, and your mobile phone will stop working. You won’t be able to access the internet. Public transport may stop running, and you will not be able to refuel or charge your car. Furthermore, it will be difficult to get hold of medicines. 

It is also possible that you will be isolated in your home for a period of time with or without power. For example, due to a snowstorm, flooding, an accident or a pandemic. 

That's why you should review your home emergency kit today, so that you can look after yourself for at least 3 days!