The national Denk Vooruit (Think Ahead) campaign advises households to prepare for the first 72 hours of a disaster or emergency. The basis is surprisingly practical: sufficient water and food, light, information, first aid, warmth, and a few personal essentials.
In short
According to the official checklist, count on 3 liters of water per person per day, keep non-perishable food and personal medication available, and ensure you can obtain light and information without mains electricity. Check your emergency supply roughly every six months.
What is Denk Vooruit?
Denk Vooruit is the Dutch public awareness campaign on emergency preparedness. The message is not that you should stockpile huge quantities of goods, but that your household should be able to manage on its own as much as possible for the first 72 hours.
Do you want to understand why those 72 hours are important first? Read our explanation of why emergency preparedness is sensible in the Netherlands.
What should be in an emergency kit according to Denk Vooruit?
Water and food
- Water: 3 liters per person per day. For three days, that is about 9 liters per person.
- Non-perishable food: products that stay good for a long time and require little preparation.
Light and information
- Flashlight with extra batteries.
- Battery-powered radio.
- Mobile phone with a charged power bank.
Health and warmth
- First aid kit with instructions.
- Personal medication and other necessary medical supplies.
- Blankets to stay warm.
Practical items
- Hygiene products such as disinfectant gel, toilet paper, and wet wipes.
- Tools that are useful in your household.
- Spare keys for your home and car.
- A whistle to be able to attract attention in an emergency.
Documents and money
- Copies of identity documents and a list of important telephone numbers.
- Cash: the current checklist mentions €70 per adult and €30 per child.
The complete current list can be found at DenkVooruit.nl. Always use that official source as a final check when compiling your kit.
Adapt the emergency kit to your household
A standard list is a starting point. Additionally, think about baby food, necessary medication, glasses or contact lenses, assistive devices, and food and drink for pets. Ask yourself which items you really cannot do without during the first three days.
Check your supply every six months
Denk Vooruit advises regularly checking whether products are still shelf-stable and usable. Also, test flashlights and power banks and replace batteries or consumed items. An emergency kit that has been sitting unopened in a closet for years provides less security than a simple supply that you actually maintain.
What should you arrange besides supplies?
An emergency kit is only one part of preparation. Also discuss where to meet if communication fails, who needs extra help, and which information channels you will use. It is precisely these arrangements that prevent having to improvise under stress.
From 72 hours to a practical plan
Would you like to practice with one concrete scenario? Our blackout action plan for the first 48 hours translates the preparation into water, lighting, cooling, and communication during a power outage.
Supplement your own supply
Do you still need essential basic items after taking inventory? Then view the emergency kits and emergency supply solutions. Always compare the contents with what you already have at home, so that you only supplement what is truly missing.
