Emergency supplies list: These are the things you should have in your house in times of crisis

Whether it's disasters lasting years, such as the coronavirus pandemic, the war in Ukraine, or a widespread power outage across the entire Iberian Peninsula: in Germany, crises and major, unsettling events at home and abroad have a significant impact on consumer behavior. How can one best prepare for potential supply bottlenecks, and is it even necessary?

After the start of the Russian war of aggression, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) issued a clear recommendation, advising citizens to prepare for a crisis. She specifically referred to the possibility of a power outage: "If the power does indeed go out for an extended period or daily life is restricted in other ways, then it definitely makes sense to have emergency supplies at home."

The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) also warns of a "blackout": "Communication, healthcare, mobility and food supply – all of these areas would be restricted, disrupted or fail if there were a widespread and long-lasting power outage."

This means supermarkets and gas stations will remain closed. Refrigerators and freezers will also fail, and depending on regional conditions, drinking water will no longer be available from the tap.

A supply of food and drinks is also helpful if a quarantine has been ordered or in the event of severe storms, flooding, extreme heat, heavy snowfall, or ice. This may mean that you won't be able to leave the house for an extended period.

But what should such a stockpile include? The BBK offers concrete assistance. Here are the five most important points:

1. Timeframe: Plan your emergency supplies for ten days. This should generally be enough to bridge the time, even in more difficult situations, until government assistance arrives or the emergency is resolved.

2. Drink: Calculate two liters of fluid per person per day. A certain portion of this supply should consist of (mineral) water. But fruit juices or longer-storage beverages can also be included.

3. Energy: Allow approximately 2,200 calories per person per day. When stocking up, consider allergies and intolerances.

4. Storage: Follow the storage instructions. Store food in a cool, dry, and dark place. Also important: airtight packaging.

5. Pets: Don't forget your pet when planning. Make sure you have enough food, bedding, medication, and other supplies your pet needs on hand.

"Food and beverage supplies are a very individual thing," says the BBK. A ten-day emergency supply might look like this:

• Drinks: 20 liters
• Grains, cereal products, bread, potatoes, pasta, rice: 3.5 kilos
• Vegetables and pulses: 4 kilos
• Fruit and nuts: 2.5 kilos
• Milk and dairy products: 2.6 kilos
• Fish, meat, eggs or whole egg powder: 1.5 kilos
• Fats and oils: 0.357 kilos

An emergency medicine cabinet must also be available. It should contain the following:

• personal medication prescribed by a doctor
• painkillers and fever reducers
• Remedy for diarrhea, nausea, vomiting
• Remedy for insect bites
• Electrolytes to balance diarrhea
• Thermometer and splinter tweezers
• Skin and wound disinfectants
• Bandages

Last but not least, consider which hygiene products you need regularly. Therefore, your emergency supplies should also include:

• handkerchiefs
• toilet paper
• Tampons or pads
• toothpaste
• Disinfectant
• diapers if necessary

This inventory calculator can help you calculate your individual needs:

Although there have never been such massive, sustained power outages in Germany as those currently occurring in Spain and Portugal, the Office for Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (TAB for short) studied the scenario intensively in 2010.

Conclusion: The probability of a prolonged power outage affecting several federal states may be low, but if it were to occur, the resulting consequences would amount to a national catastrophe.

A clever calculation for emergency situations prevents unnecessary hoarding.