Norway's egenberedskap: the one-week checklist
Norway's Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) asks every household to manage on its own for one week, up from 3 days before May 2024. Store about 20 litres of drinking water per person, food for a week, and a DAB radio that works without mains power.
What this means for your household
Set your household size to see the days, water and food the Norway advice adds up to.
Manage for one week. Raised from 3 days in May 2024.
Drinking water for 2 people. Official figure: About 20 L per person for one week.
Person-days of food to cover (2 × 7). Pick food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking.
DSB's self-preparedness checklist
From DSB's official checklist and brochure on self-preparedness.
- About 20 L of drinking water per person, the minimum for a week if the water supply fails
- Food for one week for everyone in the household
- A DAB radio that runs on batteries, a crank or solar power
- Flashlights or head lamps, with batteries
- A charged power bank
- At least 7 days' extra supply of medicines and medical equipment you use regularly
- Some cash, and more than one payment card
- Iodine tablets for children, adults under 40, and pregnant or breastfeeding people
How Norway warns you
- Nødvarsel sends warnings straight to phones in the area. About 97% of phones in use in Norway can receive it, and it overrides silent mode.
- The siren signal 'Viktig melding – søk informasjon' (important message, seek information) is three series of blasts with a minute between them. When you hear it, look for information.
- NRK P1 is the emergency preparedness channel and is meant to keep broadcasting when other media and official websites are down.
- Sirens and Nødvarsel are tested together at noon, normally on the second Wednesday of January and June.
Norway-specific steps
- Take iodine tablets only when the authorities tell you to. They protect against radioactive iodine after a nuclear accident.
- Check that your radio receives DAB. FM national broadcasting has ended in Norway, so an old FM-only radio won't receive NRK P1.
- Plan how you will keep warm in winter if the power is out for days.
- In DSB's 2024 household survey, 47% had stored drinking water and only 20% had iodine tablets.
Go beyond the minimum: what we recommend
Official lists cover the basics. These are the gaps we see most often when an emergency lasts longer than expected.
- Rotate a long supply: eat the oldest first and replace it, so a week or more of food and water stays in date.
- Keep paper and digital copies of IDs, insurance and prescriptions, so you can prove who you are and get medicines.
- Write the expiry date on everything and check the kit every 6 months, so it doesn't quietly go out of date.
- Plan for phone power: a charged power bank, plus a solar panel or car charger for longer outages.
- Save offline maps of your area and agree a meeting point, in case the mobile network is down.
- An offline survival guide on your phone: HAVEN tracks your kit and expiry dates and works with no signal.Download HAVEN free
Numbers to write down
- 112 · Police
- 110 · Fire
- 113 · Ambulance
Keep a paper copy: your phone may be flat when you need it.
Your kit, ready when the network isn't
HAVEN tracks your week of supplies, including medicines and iodine tablets, with expiry reminders and offline guides that work when the power and network are down.
- Coverage in days for your household
- Expiry reminders
- Offline guides and AI
- Free to start, no account needed
How Norway compares
Norway: 1 week. Across the 25 governments we checked, most ask for 3 days, a growing group asks for a week, and Austria asks for the most, at 10 to 14 days. See every country's advice.
Norway preparedness FAQ
How many days of supplies does Norway recommend?
One week. DSB raised its advice from 3 days to one week in May 2024.
How much water should I store in Norway?
About 20 litres of drinking water per person, which covers the minimum for one week if the water supply fails.
Who should keep iodine tablets?
DSB advises iodine tablets for children, adults under 40, and pregnant or breastfeeding people. Take them only when the authorities instruct you to.
What does the 'Viktig melding' siren mean?
It means important message, seek information: three series of blasts with a minute between them. Tune in to NRK P1 or check official channels.
Can I turn off Nødvarsel?
No. Nødvarsel overrides silent mode. Only switching the phone off or using airplane mode stops it.
Official sources
- Frequently asked questions about self-preparedness (DSB)
- Checklist for your emergency kit (DSB, PDF)
- How you can play your part in Norway's emergency preparedness (DSB, PDF)
- Nødvarsel på mobil (DSB)
This page summarises official advice and is not a substitute for it. Always follow the instructions of your local emergency services. Last checked 2 November 2026.