Guides
Hour zeroWaterPower, heat and lightPantry and preservingThe scratch kitchenFirst aid and home careFix it yourselfGrow and raiseOutdoors and bushcraftSafe and soundTools
72-hour checklistWater calculatorFamily emergency planAbout
BlogAbout Fallback72How we researchFAQContactLanguage
Sweden asks every household to manage at least one week on its own, without electricity, water or the chance to buy food. The advice comes from the civil defence agency MCF (formerly MSB) on Krisinformation.se and in the brochure Om krisen eller kriget kommer ("If crisis or war comes").
"Planera för att kunna klara dig själv i minst en vecka utan el, vatten eller möjlighet att handla mat i affären." Plan to be able to manage on your own for at least a week without electricity, water or the chance to buy food in a shop (Krisinformation.se, checked 11 Nov 2026).
The brochure gives the reason: in a serious event, help goes first to those who need it most. "De flesta av oss måste klara oss själva i minst en vecka." (Most of us will have to manage on our own for at least a week.)
It went to every household in Sweden in November 2024, on behalf of the government. It has 32 pages, and the order page lets you download it or order up to 5 copies free.
Four figures carry the whole plan.
| What | Amount | Where it says so |
|---|---|---|
| Days to cover | at least one week | Brochure and Krisinformation.se |
| Water | at least 3 litres a day (brochure); 3 to 5 litres per person per day, pets extra (Krisinformation.se) | Both |
| Cash | notes in different denominations for at least a week; Riksbanken advises 1,000 kronor per adult | Brochure; Krisinformation.se |
| Prescription medicine | enough for a month | Brochure; Socialstyrelsen on Krisinformation.se |
Read in the 2024 brochure and on Krisinformation.se (page updated 2 Nov 2026).
The home preparedness pages list what is "good to have at home". Adapt them to your household, and share some things with neighbours.
Seven days at the two figures Sweden gives:
| People | At 3 L a day | At 5 L a day |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 21 L | 35 L |
| 2 | 42 L | 70 L |
| 3 | 63 L | 105 L |
| 4 | 84 L | 140 L |
| 5 | 105 L | 175 L |
| 6 | 126 L | 210 L |
Krisinformation.se counts pets on top. The water calculator works it out for your home, and how much water to store covers containers and rotation.
No water from the tap means no flush, for example in a power cut.
You can still pee in the toilet. Throw the paper in a bin or a bucket with a lid.
For faeces, put a plastic bag or bin bag in the toilet, or use a bucket with a lid, and cover it with compost litter or sawdust. Keeping urine and faeces apart cuts the smell, and your municipality says how to get rid of the waste.
The brochure's tips for a bag, if you are told to evacuate:
The brochure closes with the phone numbers and the outdoor warning signals. Sveriges Radio P4 is the emergency channel and keeps broadcasting.
| Number or signal | What it means |
|---|---|
| 112 | Emergency: ambulance, fire and rescue, police |
| 114 14 | Police, when it is not urgent |
| 113 13 | Give or get information about serious accidents and crises |
| 1177 | Health advice if you are ill or injured |
| VMA: 7 s signal, 14 s pause, for 2 min | Go inside, close windows, doors and ventilation, listen to P4 |
| Faran över: one 30 s signal | The danger is over |
From the last two pages of the brochure, which also explains the preparedness alarm and the air-raid signal.
Yes. The brochure says it can be ordered in easy-to-read Swedish and in English, and downloaded in several other languages. It also comes in sign language, audio and braille.
The brochure says at least 3 litres a day. Krisinformation.se says 3 to 5 litres per person per day, plus water for pets.
Riksbanken advises 1,000 kronor per adult, in several denominations, to cover a week of essential purchases.
The brochure was written by MSB, which has since become Myndigheten för civilt försvar (MCF). The home preparedness advice is on Krisinformation.se.
The EU sets 72 hours as a minimum and Germany asks for 10 days. Start with 3 days using our 72-hour checklist, then build toward a week.
