Preparedness week 2026: one thing to do each day in week 44

11 hours ago

3 min read

Norway's national preparedness week (Egenberedskapsuka) 2026 runs from 26 October to 1 November (week 44). This year's theme is crisis communication when the mobile network and internet go down: how to get important information, and how to stay in touch with your family. The week is part of Norway's Total Defence Year 2026 (DSB).

You don't have to do everything in one evening. Here's one simple task for each day of the week. Together they cover the essentials of DSB's advice on coping on your own for one week.

In short

DSB recommends that your household can cope on its own for one week if power, water or the mobile network fails.
Most important this week: a radio that works without power, and a plan for staying in contact without a phone.
About 20 litres of drinking water per person lasts one week.
End the week with an evening offline to see what's missing.

Monday: check the radio

When the mobile network is down, the radio is the most reliable source of information. DSB recommends a battery-powered DAB radio. Find your radio, put in new batteries and check that you can receive NRK P1.

If you hear the sirens sound the “Important message – listen to the radio” signal, the radio is what you turn on. Read more in our guide Emergency radio: how to stay informed when the mobile network is down.

Tuesday: make a contact plan on paper

Most people don't know a single phone number by heart. Write down the numbers for family, neighbours, your GP and the municipality on a sheet of paper, and keep it with your emergency supplies.

Also agree on a meeting place in case you can't reach each other. It could be at home, at a neighbour's or a fixed place nearby.

Wednesday: water for one week

DSB recommends about 20 litres of drinking water per person. A family of four therefore needs about 80 litres. Clean jugs or bottles filled from the tap work fine, as long as you change the water regularly. See the table in How much water do you need in a crisis?.

Thursday: light and heat

Find one light per person, ideally a headlamp, and spare batteries. Tealights and matches are good to have, but never leave them unattended.

Without power, many houses get cold quickly. Put out warm clothes, wool blankets and duvets or sleeping bags, and think about whether you have a safe heat source that doesn't need electricity. Read more in Staying warm without power.

Friday: food that doesn't need a fridge

Check that you have food for one week that keeps at room temperature: tinned food, crispbread, oats, nuts and dried fruit. If you have a camping stove or gas burner with fuel, you can also make hot food.

Never use a barbecue or gas equipment made for outdoor use indoors. Carbon monoxide is deadly and can't be seen or smelled.

Saturday: medicines, first aid and cash

Make sure your regular medication will last an extra week, and that your first aid kit is complete. Keep some cash at home too, since card payments can fail when power and networks are down.

Sunday: an evening offline

Turn off Wi-Fi and mobile data for a couple of hours one evening. Where do you get your news? How do you reach the grandparents? What do you miss? Write down what's missing, and get it next week.

Would you rather not gather everything yourself?

At Hurtig Beredskap we've put the gear together in ready-made kits based on DSB's advice. Standard and Large include an emergency radio with DAB and FM that works without mains power. Each product page shows what's included and what you need to add yourself. See the kits or take the preparedness check on our home page.

Frequently asked questions

When is preparedness week 2026?

Preparedness week 2026 runs from 26 October to 1 November, in week 44. DSB organises the week together with the county governors, municipalities, the Civil Defence and voluntary organisations.

What is this year's theme?

The theme is crisis communication when electronic communication fails – in other words, what to do when the mobile network and internet are down, and where to find reliable information.