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Crisis preparedness basics
Why ten days, what fails first in an emergency and how to start small and without panic.
Most crises in Germany are not the end of the world, but interruptions to supplies and services: a power cut lasting several days, a flood, a storm, a quarantine. If you can manage on your own for a few days, you take pressure off yourself, your neighbours and the emergency services.
Why ten days?
The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK), Germany's national civil protection authority, recommends supplies for ten days. That is how long it can take until state aid is organised across a whole area. It's fine to start with three days – every day of supplies counts.
What fails first
| Failure | Consequence | Preparation |
|---|---|---|
| Electricity | No light, fridge, stove, heating pump, phone charging | Lamps, batteries, power bank, camping stove, blankets |
| Water | Pumps stop working, no flushing | Store drinking water, fill the bathtub |
| Shops | Empty shelves, card payments don't work | Food supplies, cash |
| Communication | Network overloaded or down | Battery radio, printed phone numbers, meeting points |
The four pillars
- Knowledge – Know the warning signals and what to do. The guides here are a start.
- Supplies – Water, food, medication, hygiene, light and warmth at home. → Supplies calculator
- Plan – When you leave, where to, by which routes and where you meet. → family plan
- Ready to grab – Emergency bag and document folder packed, plan printed. → Offline package
Stay or go?
In the vast majority of situations, staying at home is the right decision – that's where your supplies, warmth and a roof are. You should leave if the authorities tell you to or if your home becomes directly dangerous (fire, flood, gas, collapse). That is exactly what the family plan is for.
Start small
Preparedness doesn't have to be a big project. Start with what you already have at home, and don't buy everything at once – it's cheaper, and nothing reaches its date all at the same time. Put one or two extra things in your basket when you do your normal weekly shop. And take care of one small thing each day – the big task soon seems much smaller.
Ideas for small steps, each done in a few minutes:
- Today: check where your torch is – and whether the batteries still work.
- Tomorrow: put a pack of water in the cellar or a storage cupboard.
- Look through your cupboards: what do you already have? The supplies calculator shows what's still missing.
- Write three important phone numbers on a slip of paper and put it in your wallet.
- Check on your phone that warnings (Cell Broadcast) are switched on in the settings.
- Agree on a meeting point outside the house with everyone in your household.
- Set aside a backpack for your emergency bag – it can be filled bit by bit.
Every small step counts. Preparedness is a habit, not a project – there's no need for panic buying.
Once a year, without any rush: go through your supplies, use up anything past its date, and discuss the plan with everyone in your household. A good occasion is the nationwide warning day (Warntag) on the second Thursday in September – the test alert is a reminder in itself.
Preparedness is not about building a bunker. Store what you already eat and use it in everyday life (a “rotating supply”).