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

What the report says

BBC World News reports that emergency stockpiling, long common in parts of Europe, North America and Asia, is now gaining attention in the UK after government advice prompted a rise in sales of tinned food, radios and torches. The article profiles people in Sweden, the US, Japan and the Netherlands who keep household crisis kits for events such as severe weather, earthquakes, power cuts or broader disruption.

In Sweden, Andreas Wennerberg said a government booklet sent to homes was a wake-up call, prompting him to keep a modest basement supply that includes a crank radio, water and cash. In Maryland, Dan C built up a much larger system after becoming a father and experiencing a winter outage; his setup includes water storage, long-life food, solar panels, cooking equipment and medical supplies. He frames it as part of parenting and home responsibility rather than alarm.

In Tokyo, Ayumi T keeps an emergency bag for earthquakes, typhoons and extreme heat, and said the 2024 Noto Peninsula earthquake reinforced the need to stay prepared. In Georgia, Nicole Bonds has gradually bought batteries, hygiene items and backup power gear as severe weather has become more frequent. In the Netherlands, Michael Stuut stores water, food, cash and power equipment in case of flooding, outages or war. The article places these personal habits in the wider context of official preparedness guidance, which in some countries asks households to keep supplies for at least 72 hours.