7 things every family needs at home – DSB's preparedness list explained

Imagine the power going out on a cold January day. The card terminal doesn't work. The mobile network is patchy. The shop has run out of water. What does your family do?

For most Norwegian households the answer is: we'll manage – but not for very long.

DSB (the Norwegian Directorate for Civil Protection) recommends that every household in Norway can cope entirely on its own for at least 7 days. That means food, water, heat, light and communication – without help from the power grid, shops or the mobile network.

It sounds like a lot. But in practice it's surprisingly easy to get started.

Here are the 7 most important things you need – and why.

1. Drinking water

Minimum: about 3 litres per person per day

Water is the most important thing of all. Without clean drinking water we don't last long. Municipal water is pumped using electricity – and in a power cut, the water supply can fail.

DSB recommends storing about 20 litres of drinking water per person. That lasts for one week. For a family of four, that's about 80 litres.

Practical solution: large, stackable water jugs (10–20 litres) stored somewhere cool and dark. Change the water once a year.

2. Food that doesn't need cooling or cooking

Minimum: food for 7 days for the whole family

The freezer and fridge stop when the power does. Keep a supply of long-life food: tinned food (tuna, beans, soups), crispbread, biscuits and nuts, dried fruit and energy bars, oats and granola.

Remember family members with allergies and children with special needs.

3. An alternative heat source

Critical in Norwegian winters

Without power, heat pumps and panel heaters stop. A cold Norwegian winter can become dangerous without another source of heat. Options: a wood stove or fireplace – worth its weight in gold in a crisis; a gas or paraffin heater made for indoor use – effective, but needs good ventilation and a CO alarm; extra blankets and warm sleeping bags – underrated, but effective. Candles are for light, not for heating.

4. Light

It gets dark quickly without power. You need more than one light source: a torch with spare batteries, headlamps that keep your hands free, plenty of good-quality candles, and a solar lamp that charges itself during the day. Never leave candles unattended around children.

5. A battery-powered radio

Your most important source of information

The mobile network can be overloaded or go down in a major crisis. A battery-powered DAB radio is your link to emergency messages and updates from the authorities. NRK broadcasts emergency messages on P1 via DAB, not FM – make sure you can receive them.

6. First aid and medicines

Plan for the unexpected

Hospitals and pharmacies can be overloaded in a crisis. Keep at home: a complete first aid kit, an extra supply of regular medication (talk to your doctor), painkillers, fever and allergy medicine, bandages, disinfectant and safety pins.

7. Cash and important documents

Card terminals don't work without power

Always keep some cash at home – at least enough to cover daily expenses for a few days. You should also have copies of passports and ID, insurance documents and important phone numbers written down on paper.

Get started – without feeling overwhelmed

We recommend tackling one point at a time. Start with water. Next week, look at food. The week after, check your lighting.

Or take the shortcut. Our ready-made emergency kits bring much of this together in one order, packed and ready for families in Norway. Just open the box and put it somewhere safe.

See our emergency kits at hurtigberedskap.no

Hurtig Beredskap helps families in Norway get started with emergency preparedness – no drama, no complicated checklists. Just good, practical preparation.