Preppbox is an initiative to make it easier for every household to take personal responsibility for its preparedness in crisis situations. Because if all households manage on their own for at least a week, we strengthen the preparedness of the entire society. Then municipalities and county councils can focus on the most vulnerable instead.
But that's not really all that needs to be done. And we know (unfortunately) that not everyone thinks home preparation is so much fun. But something even more boring than thinking about it now - is not having thought about it when the crisis comes.
Perhaps, however, you have already thought about it more than you think, if you were, for example, one of those who during the pandemic shopped for a neighbor or bought up a stock of dry goods to avoid spending so much time in the store - it was a perfect example of help each other in crisis!
To help you understand what else you need to do to be really well equipped if the crisis comes, we have produced a memorial rhyme:
AWFULLY WISE
Health, Energy, Food, Protection, Communication, Transport, Water, Information, Security. It follows below. We have also produced a checklist based on HORRIBLE VIS, which you can download here (PDF, A4, black/white).
HEALTH
Knowing first aid to save lives in emergency situations is a given advantage. Courses are available for free, search on the internet. Remember CPR is different on babies so inform yourself how, BVC offers free courses for it.
Make sure you have the opportunity to clean and bandage wounds and that you have over-the-counter medicine such as pain relievers and fever reducers. Tablets that help with diarrhea, eg activated charcoal. If there are allergies in the family, it can be good to have antihistamines in stock. Ointments that soothe itching or irritation are also good to have, as are burn gels and burn dressings.
Also think through what you or your family need for hygiene in the home, even in a scenario without electricity and water. Both for personal hygiene and the home. We may have learned to store toilet paper, but soap and cleaning products are just as important. Wet wipes that you often have for toddlers are good for washing, and feel free to also get ones of the type that disinfect. Best toilet when there is no water is outdoors. But if you live in an apartment or can't go out, you can put a strong construction garbage bag in an ordinary toaster (fold the seat over and you can pretend everything is as usual). You need suitable litter for a dry toilet and cable ties to close it.
ENERGY
In order to have heat, lighting and the possibility of communication in a crisis situation, energy is needed. A power bank has many already for the mobile phone, make sure it is always charged. Regular small batteries are fine. As soon as the power goes out, you will be grateful for a good flashlight.
Cooking can be done on a gas stove. A tea light can heat more than you think, but a kerosene heater can be good to have if you don't have a stove.
ATTENTION!!! Beware of carbon monoxide poisoning when using fuels in confined spaces. Also applies to tealights.
FOOD
Most people can get by for a few days on food that is already at home. To extend that time, you can shop weekly so you have twice as much popular dry goods as pasta, oatmeal, beans, lentils, rice, flour, etc. For home preparedness purposes, soft preserves, such as Preppbox meals, are preferable as they already contain water (and in case of emergency can also be eaten cold).
Please keep some sweets in stock. Yes! It is important to be able to cheer yourself up in a difficult situation, and it is also high in calories.
If you want to count calories, a good starting point is 2000 kcal per person per day. Don't forget pets and any babies. Congratulations on your own vegetable garden, by the way.
PROTECTION
Being able to keep the body warm is important. Sleeping bags for the whole family are a big advantage, but duvets and blankets also work. Build a hut! Then you can increase the temperature in the smaller space just by staying there.
Make sure the whole household has proper clothes according to the three-layer principle, and have wool closest to the body, which is inherently dirt-repellent and odorless. Rain protection in the form of a poncho is great as it can also protect a backpack or a small child being carried.
COMMUNICATION
Being able to charge and keep a smart phone running is valuable. Even without a network, the GPS system can work and the mobile phone has many other good functions.
TRANSPORTATION
If you cannot rely on municipal transport, it can be good to have some preparedness for transport. Make sure you have a good spare can if you have a car, and fill up when the tank is half full. If you have a bicycle, you should have a kit to repair a puncture. Don't forget good boots.
WATER
Being without water is terrible and therefore what we recommend you
tackles first (but the chant VEMSKT HIS was unfortunately voted down internally). Make sure to have at least three (preferably five) liters for each member of the household per day. Change the water at Christmas and Midsummer. Municipal water sometimes has a longer shelf life, so check with your municipality. If you have the slightest doubt, always boil the water before consumption, or use water filters / water purification tablets.
INFORMATION
A battery-powered radio so you can receive information (on the local radio, P4) if the telephone networks are down is part of the basic equipment. Sort the information and never shop in a panic! Remember UBBA - Perceive, Assess, Decide and Act.
Going by rumors alone can be devastating and part of an act of terrorism or war. Try to get as broad an information gathering as possible, it's good even without a crisis situation.
SECURITY
Both for everyday use and in a crisis, fire alarms and the ability to put out a fire are absolutely essential. Fire blanket has infinite durability. A carbon monoxide alarm is good to have if you are burning with an open flame in small spaces. By working together with your neighbors you get greater security, both in terms of overall knowledge but also in the form of protection against threats such as an increased risk of burglary in a society in crisis.
Whew! How cruel of you to have read all the way here. And again - don't miss the checklist that you can download for printing here (A4, PDF, black/white).