Switzerland's Notvorrat: the federal emergency supply list
Switzerland's Federal Office for National Economic Supply (BWL) recommends about one week of food per person, plus 9 litres of water: a six-pack of 1.5-litre bottles. That water covers drinking and cooking for about three days, but not washing or flushing the toilet.
What this means for your household
Set your household size to see the days, water and food the Switzerland advice adds up to.
About one week of food. 9 L of water per person covers the first 3 days.
Drinking water for 2 people. Official figure: At least 9 L per person, which covers drinking and cooking for about 3 days.
Person-days of food to cover (2 × 7). Pick food that needs no fridge and little or no cooking.
What the federal list includes
From the BWL's 'We advise' emergency supplies brochure.
- Water: 9 L per person, a six-pack of 1.5 L bottles
- Food for about a week: rice, pasta, oil, ready meals, salt, sugar, coffee, tea, dried fruit, muesli, toast, chocolate, UHT milk, hard cheese, dried meat and canned food
- A battery-powered radio
- A torch with spare batteries, candles, and matches or a lighter
- A gas cooker
- 50 face masks per person and disinfectant
- Personal medication and the toiletries you use regularly
- Cash in small notes and coins for a week's shopping, and possibly a full tank of petrol
- Pet food
How Switzerland warns you
- The 'general alert' is a regular rising and falling tone. Outside the annual test, it means there may be a danger to the population.
- If it sounds, listen to the radio, check the Alertswiss app or website, follow the authorities' instructions, and tell your neighbours.
- The 'water alert' near dams is different: it means leave the endangered area immediately.
- The sirens are tested every year on the first Wednesday of February at 13:30. The next test is on 3 February 2027.
- The free Alertswiss app sends alerts and information as push messages.
Switzerland-specific steps
- Choose a radio that receives both DAB+ and FM (VHF), as the Alertswiss emergency plan recommends. The federal government has its own emergency radio channel.
- Fill in the Alertswiss emergency plan: contacts, meeting points and what each person does.
- Store food you normally eat and use it before it expires, then replace it.
- Remember that 9 L only covers drinking and cooking. Plan extra water for hygiene and the toilet.
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
- 117 · Police
- 118 · Fire
- 144 · Ambulance
- 112 · European emergency number
Keep a paper copy: your phone may be flat when you need it.
Your kit, ready when the network isn't
HAVEN tracks your Notvorrat by expiry date and shows how many days it covers, with offline guides that keep working when the power is out.
- Coverage in days for your household
- Expiry reminders
- Offline guides and AI
- Free to start, no account needed
How Switzerland compares
Switzerland: 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.
Switzerland preparedness FAQ
How much food should I keep in Switzerland?
About one week of food per person, according to the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (BWL).
How much water does Switzerland recommend?
9 litres per person, a six-pack of 1.5-litre bottles. It covers drinking and cooking for about three days, not washing or flushing.
When is the Swiss siren test?
Every year on the first Wednesday of February at 13:30. The next one is on 3 February 2027. You don't need to do anything during the test.
What should I do if the general alert sounds outside the test?
Listen to the radio, check Alertswiss, follow the authorities' instructions and tell your neighbours.
Why keep cash at home?
Card payments may not work in a power cut. The BWL suggests enough cash in small notes and coins for a week's shopping, and possibly a full tank of petrol.
Official sources
- We advise: emergency supplies (BWL)
- We Advise brochure (BWL, PDF)
- Testing sirens (Alertswiss)
- Respond correctly when in danger (Alertswiss)
- Emergency plan (Alertswiss, PDF)
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.