Preparedness · bit by bit
Gear & books
What really helps in a power cut, a flood or when you have to leave – and what to look for when buying. No brands, no panic.
You don't need everything. First check what you already have – a lot of it is in the cellar or the garage. Then add things bit by bit.
A few solid things you have tried out beat lots of gadgets. Anything missing can go straight onto the shopping list. Go to shopping list →
Water
Without water you only last a few days. Stored drinking water comes first; filters and tablets are the backup.
Water canisters (10–20 l)
For storing drinking water or fetching it from a distribution point when nothing comes out of the tap.
- Suitable for drinking water (food-safe)
- With a tap or spout – saves pouring
- A size you can carry: 10 litres weigh 10 kg
- Store dark and cool; replace tap water regularly
Water purification tablets
Make water low in germs when you can't boil it – boiling remains the safest method.
- Chlorine or chlorine dioxide disinfects; silver ions only keep clean water fresh for longer
- Wait the contact time stated on the pack (often 30 minutes to 2 hours)
- Filter cloudy water first or let it settle
- Check the expiry date
Light, power & radio
In a power cut, light, news and a charged phone are what count.
Head torch
Light wherever you look – and both hands free for cooking, packing or helping.
- Runs on the same rechargeables or batteries as your other devices
- Several brightness levels – the low one is usually enough and lasts long
- Splash-proof (IPX4 or higher)
- Ideally one per person in the household
Battery, wind-up or solar radio
In a power cut, the authorities inform people via radio. Many phones have no FM radio (Pixel phones, for example), and streaming needs a network.
- Receives FM, ideally DAB+ as well
- Runs on ordinary batteries or rechargeables – crank and solar are the backup
- Winding often gives only a few minutes of power
- Try out beforehand which stations you receive at home
Power bank
Keeps your phone, head torch and radio going for a few days when the sockets are dead.
- 10,000–20,000 mAh is enough for several phone charges
- Top it up every few months – it slowly discharges by itself
- Keep matching cables with it
- Don't store it in a hot car or in full sun
Rechargeable batteries and charger
One battery size (AA/AAA) for torch, radio and walkie-talkie – recharge instead of buying new ones all the time.
- Low self-discharge NiMH cells – they hold their charge for months
- A charger that charges each cell individually
- A charger with USB input, so it also works from a power bank or solar panel
- A few alkaline batteries as a reserve – they last for years
Cooking & warmth
A hot meal and a warm night – even when the cooker and heating are down.
Camping stove
Hot food, tea and boiled water without electricity.
- Only use outdoors or with very good ventilation – carbon monoxide (CO) is invisible, odourless and can kill
- Stable, with a windshield
- Takes gas canisters you can easily buy again
- Try it out calmly once before you need it
Emergency foil blanket
Weighs almost nothing and protects injured or exhausted people from getting cold.
- Small and cheap – one each in backpack, car and first aid kit
- Only warms if the person is fully wrapped and sheltered from wind
- Folded for a long time, the foil can crack at the creases – replace now and then
Health
Treat minor injuries yourself when surgeries and pharmacies are closed. Your medicines belong on the supplies list.
First aid kit
So you can treat cuts, grazes and burns yourself until help arrives.
- For home: contents to DIN 13157
- Compact alternative: car first aid kit to DIN 13164
- Check the expiry dates of sterile items
- Add: painkillers, tweezers, tick remover, your own medicines
Hygiene
Without running water, hygiene quickly becomes a problem – with a little effort it stays manageable.
Emergency toilet
If the water supply fails, you can't flush – bags and absorbent keep the toilet usable anyway.
- Strong bin bags that fit your existing toilet or a bucket
- Absorbent: cat litter, sawdust or special granules
- Plenty of bags – better too many than too few
- Close full bags tightly and store them protected, away from living areas
Bags & emergency pack
So you can leave quickly if you have to get out of your home.
Backpack for the emergency pack
Everything important on your back if you have to leave your home.
- 30–40 litres is enough for an emergency pack
- Fits your back length, with a hip belt
- Packed, no more than about 15 kg for adults, much less for children
- A backpack you already have usually does the job
Safety at home
Candles, camping stoves and makeshift set-ups raise the fire risk. These things protect you all year round.
Smoke alarm
Wakes you if there is a fire at night – required by law in every German state.
- Q label: tested for long life and fewer false alarms
- Built-in battery lasting around 10 years
- Standard DIN EN 14604
- At least in bedrooms, children's rooms and hallways; press the test button regularly
Books
For reading at leisure – ideally on paper, because in a power cut your phone battery is precious.
Vorsorgen für Krisen und Katastrophen (Preparing for crises and disasters)
The official guide from Germany's Federal Office of Civil Protection (BBK), with checklist – a free PDF, also available in English.
Blackout – Tomorrow Will Be Too Late
A gripping novel (2012) about a Europe-wide power cut – fiction, but a good way into the topic.
SAS Survival Handbook
A comprehensive handbook for surviving outdoors, from water and fire to first aid – aimed more at the wilderness than at home.
Where There Is No Doctor
A clearly written health handbook for places without a doctor – the new edition can be read free online.
Bushcraft 101
Simple outdoor skills: fire, shelter, water, tools – for anyone who likes to practise in the woods.