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Preparedness

Emergency bag: what to have ready

An emergency bag is packed and ready in case you have to leave home quickly – in a fire, flood, evacuation or other event. Here is a complete list you can pack from. The page works without internet once you have visited it.

In an ongoing emergency: always follow instructions from the police, fire service or municipality. Call 110, 112 or 113 if life or health is at risk.

Always in the emergency bag

An emergency bag is packed and ready to grab if you have to leave home quickly. This is the basic kit for one person for a couple of days.

Basic kit

  • Water (at least 1–2 litres) and some food that keeps: crispbread, energy bars, tinned food with a ring-pull lid.
  • Warm clothes, rainwear, a change of underwear and socks, a blanket or emergency blanket.
  • A torch and a head lamp with spare batteries.
  • A battery or DAB radio for information.
  • A power bank and charging cables for your phone.

Health and valuables

  • First-aid kit and regular medication (for at least a few days).
  • Cash in small notes – cards and mobile payment do not work without power or network.
  • Copies of ID, passport and insurance papers in a waterproof bag.
  • Important phone numbers written on paper.
  • Hygiene: wet wipes, hand sanitiser, toilet paper, anti-nausea medicine if needed.

Do not do this

  • Do not pack the bag so heavy that you cannot carry it.
  • Do not let food and medicine expire – check twice a year.
  • Do not bury the bag at the back of a cupboard – it should be easy to reach by the door.

Add according to who you are

Adapt the bag to your household. What is vital for one person may be unnecessary for another.

Children and babies

  • Nappies and wet wipes.
  • Infant formula and clean water for mixing.
  • A soft toy, a book or a game for comfort.

Pets

  • Food and water for a few days.
  • Lead, cage or carrier.
  • Any medication.

Special needs

  • Spare glasses or contact lenses.
  • Hearing-aid batteries.
  • Equipment for chronic conditions (e.g. diabetes).

Where should the bag be kept?

An emergency bag only helps if you can find it quickly.

Keep the bag in a fixed, easy-to-reach place near the exit – not at the back of a full cupboard.

Everyone in the household should know where it is.

Check the contents twice a year, ideally when you change the smoke-alarm battery. Replace food, water, batteries and medicine that are nearing their use-by date.

Sources: DSB and the Norwegian Civil Defence. In case of conflict, instructions from your municipality and the authorities' own channels always apply.