Responsible or panicked? How people around the world are preparing for crisis

In a basement in Stockholm, Andreas Wennerberg keeps a crank radio, a tank holding 10 litres of water and about €200 (£170) in cash. The 30-year-old had never given emergencies much thought until two years ago, when a government booklet landed in his letterbox. Sent to every household in Sweden, it set out what to stock up on and how to behave "in case of crisis or war". He calls it a wake-up call, though he admits he hasn't followed the guidance in full, and he already owned some of the items. "I feel secure," he says. "I'm not that worried."

His stash is one of several described by people in four countries, after the UK government advised households what to keep at home in case of a national emergency. Sales of tinned food, radios and torches rose in some shops afterwards. A personal crisis kit may be new to Britain, but it is routine in many places that face extreme weather, natural disasters or tense geopolitics. Governments there regularly issue preparedness guidance, and some deliver booklets directly to people's homes.

At the far end of the spectrum is Dan, a 38-year-old physiotherapist in Maryland. He started building supplies after becoming a father and has spent about $6,000 (£4,470), keeping everything on shelves in his basement. A few years ago, during a very cold February, his house lost power for two days. He had already begun collecting supplies, but says there were numerous gaps in what he had prepared for. He now holds 150 gallons of water, soft-plastic storage containers that can be filled in the bath, and chlorine dioxide tablets for making stream or river water safe to drink. His family of four has roughly three months of long-life food, such as oats, quinoa and peanut butter, which he cooks with and replaces so it isn't "just sitting there expiring". He also has solar panels, a camping stove, a tent, wood, a propane fireplace insert that works off grid, and extensive medical supplies including bleeding control kits. He says there can be a tendency to catastrophise, but for him this is about being a responsible homeowner. In the US, the Federal Emergency Management Agency advises people to assemble a kit, make a family plan and learn how to respond to different incidents.

In Tokyo, Ayumi, 27, who works at a university, has kept an emergency bag for years against earthquakes, typhoons and extreme heat. After the 2024 earthquake on the Noto Peninsula killed hundreds of people and caused widespread damage, she stocked up further. The rucksack in her wardrobe holds clothes, towels, menstrual products, disposable chopsticks, sticky notes, disposable masks and a disposable toilet of the kind hikers use. The Tokyo government publishes a 68-page disaster prevention guide covering kit contents and what to do in particular emergencies. Each new year her family checks their kits and replaces anything out of date, food included.

Nicole Bonds, a 48-year-old leadership coach in Atlanta, says that over the past five years she has kept asking herself what happens in an emergency. She puts it down to noticing significantly more severe weather and storms around the world, and a lack of preparedness. Her motto is "don't panic, be prepared". She has bought cleaning and hygiene products, batteries, a power bank, first-aid supplies, rechargeable fans, blankets and sleeping bags. To keep costs down she buys a little "here and there", storing items under her bed, in packing bags and in kitchen cabinets.

Michael Stuut, 39, lives in Hoorn in the Netherlands, a country lying below sea level, with his wife and five-year-old son. He worries about extreme weather and also possible war. His attic and a crawl space under the house hold about 120 litres of water, cash, a first-aid kit, a generator and food, plus a Starlink Mini, a small satellite device for internet access. Earlier this year he built an app to log his food and its expiry dates. His wife initially saw no need but now understands, he says. They have told their son the supplies are for days when they don't want to go to the shop, because they don't want to burden him.

In late 2025, Dutch authorities launched a campaign telling households to hold 72 hours of supplies, much as the UK has now done. Michael is sceptical of the three-day figure, but argues that every household with a few basics makes it easier for emergency services to reach those who need them most. "Being prepared isn't about panic," he says. "It's about being the calm one when the lights go out."