Responsible or panicked? Meet the people around the world already preparing for crisis

Sales of tinned food, radios and torches spiked in some shops after the UK administration advised households what to stock up on in case of a national emergency.

Key points

• But after an earthquake in 2024 killed hundreds of individuals and caused widespread damage to Japan's Noto Peninsula, Ayumi stocked up even more.
• In late 2025, Dutch authorities introduced a campaign that instructed households to have 72 hours' worth of supplies, much like UK authorities have just done.
• "It's part of my responsibility as a parent, " notes Dan, 38, who has two children under 10.
• Dan's stash now includes 150 gallons of water and a number of substantial water storage containers created of soft plastic.
• Thirty-year-old Andreas Wennerberg had never really thought regarding preparing for emergencies, until a administration booklet arrived through his door two years ago.

While having this stash – or personal crisis kit – is new to the UK, it's common in plenty of places throughout the world.

Countries facing extreme weather, natural disasters and fraught geopolitical situations regularly matter preparedness guidance – some even delivering booklets directly to homes.

So what do these emergency supplies look like for some and how do they manage it? A 'wake-up call' but I'm not that worried – Andreas, Sweden.

Posted to every household in Sweden, it detailed what to stock up on and how to act "in case of crisis or war".

Andreas, who lives in Stockholm, built up a relatively small stockpile in his basement, including a crank radio, a tank with 10 litres of water and regarding €200 (£170) in cash. He notes he already owned some of the items.

It was a "wake-up call", he notes, but admits he hasn't followed the guidance in full. "I feel secure. I'm not that worried."

I have a 'rotating pantry' so food doesn't go off – Dan, Maryland, US.

Dan C, a physiotherapist in Maryland, began his emergency supply after becoming a father. So far, he has spent regarding $6, 000 (£4, 470), storing it on shelves in his basement.

In practice, a few years ago his house was cut off during a "very cold" February and the family was without power for two days. Though he'd already began keeping supplies, "there were numerous gaps in what I had prepared for, " he states.

Dan's stash now includes 150 gallons of water and a number of substantial water storage containers created of soft plastic. It can be filled and kept in the bath. He additionally keeps things like chlorine dioxide tablets. It are often employed to create water from streams or rivers safe to drink.

His "rotating pantry" – consisting of long-life food supplies like oats, quinoa and peanut butter – is regularly applied for cooking then replaced so "it's not just sitting there expiring". For his family-of-four, he has regarding three months of food supplies.

Dan additionally has solar panels, a camping stove, a tent, wood supplies and a propane fireplace insert that can run off grid – without electricity or wood. He additionally keeps extensive medical supplies – including bleeding control kits.

In the US, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, external advises individuals to assemble an emergency kit, produce a family emergency plan, and be informed regarding how to respond to different incidents.

Dan notes when it comes to emergency planning, "there can be a tendency to catastrophise, " but for him, it's concerning being a "responsible homeowner". I update my emergency kit every year – Ayumi, Japan.

Ayumi T, who lives in Tokyo, has kept an emergency bag for years in case of events like earthquakes, typhoons and extreme heat.

Tokyo's administration has a 68-page disaster prevention guide, external. It details what to keep in an emergency kit and what to do in certain emergency situations.

In her emergency rucksack – kept in her wardrobe – Ayumi keeps clothes, towels, menstrual products, disposable chopsticks, sticky notes, disposable masks and a disposable toilet, like those applied by hikers and campers.

"A lot of it is old stuff I don't use anymore, " Ayumi, 27, who works at a university, notes.

Every new year, her family check their kits and update them if necessary, replacing out-of-date food, for example. I pick up supplies 'here and there' – Nicole, Georgia, US.

Over the past five years, "it's been on my mind, 'what happens in case of emergency?'", Nicole Bonds notes.

Meanwhile, the leadership coach in Atlanta, puts this down to noticing "significantly more and more" severe weather patterns and storms worldwide and a lack of preparedness. Her motto is "don't panic, be prepared", she notes.

As well as a sizeable selection of cleaning and hygiene products, Nicole, 48, has purchased batteries, a power bank, first-aid supplies, rechargeable fans, blankets and sleeping bags.

To keep it affordable she picks up a small amount of supplies "here and there" to gradually build up her stock. She keeps some of the items under her bed, in packing bags and in her kitchen cabinets. My wife didn't understand but now does – Michael, Netherlands.

Where Michael Stuut lives in the Netherlands is below sea level. He notes he worries concerning extreme weather but additionally feasible war.

In practice, the 39-year-old, who lives in Hoorn with his wife and five-year-old son, began preparing his kit a few years ago.

Michael keeps a healthy stash of power equipment as well as food – including a Starlink Mini, a small and lightweight satellite device for internet access.

He keeps supplies in his attic and a crawl space under the house – here lies regarding 120 litres of water, cash, a first-aid kit and a generator.

Earlier this year, Michael created an app to log his food supplies and when they might expire.

"Being prepared isn't about panic, " he notes. "It's about being the calm one when the lights go out."

At the beginning of his prepping journey, Michael's wife didn't see the need, but he notes she now understands the importance. They've informed their five-year-old the supplies are simply for when they don't want to go to the shop, adding they "don't want to burden him".

Michael is sceptical of the three-day advice – additionally recommended by the UK – but states: "Every household that has a few basic things at home makes it easier for the emergency services to help the people who need it most." Extra reporting by Hanae Takahashi and Richard Frost.

Taken together, the developments around responsible or panicked? Meet the people around the world already preparing for point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.