Slovakia's 2025 brochure is written for crises up to and including armed conflict, but most of it is about ordinary disruption: power cuts, floods, empty shelves. It builds everything around five needs: water, food, warmth, medicines and communication. Here is its recommended list.
The official guide
- Title: V prípade krízy alebo ozbrojeného konfliktu ("In case of crisis or armed conflict")
- Publisher: Crisis Management Section, Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic
- Year: 2025
- Horizon: we count it with the 72-hour guides; see the note on 14 days below
- Link: minv.sk brochure (PDF, Slovak)
Water: 3 to 5 litres per person per day
The brochure asks for 3 to 5 litres of drinking water per person per day, plus water for animals. Store extra in well-cleaned bottles, jerrycans or other containers, somewhere dark and cool. Boil it if you are unsure of its quality. One practical tip: freeze water in plastic bottles, without filling them to the top. They work as cold packs and as extra drinking water.
For a household of four over 72 hours, that is 36 to 60 litres.
The recommended list for home
Food and water
Long-life food: grains, cereals, pasta, rice, couscous, instant mash, milk powder, tortillas, rusks, biscuits, salt and spices. Potatoes, carrots, cabbage. Tins of tomatoes, vegetables, fruit and ready meals. Protein: dried or tinned meat and fish, chickpeas, beans, lentils, cheese in a tube. Fats: cooking oil, pesto, sun-dried tomatoes, peanut butter, nuts and seeds. Energy: fruit pudding, jam, chocolate, honey, protein bars, dried fruit. Drinks: water, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, juice, long-life or soya milk. Food for children, including infant formula and baby food. Pet food. Bottles of drinking water, and bottles or containers with a lid or tap.
Clothes, bedding, heat and light
- Warm wool or outdoor clothes, thick socks, hats, gloves, scarves; spare warm, waterproof shoes
- Blankets, sleeping mats and sleeping bags
- Candles and tea lights, matches or a lighter
- Heat that needs no electricity, such as a gas or paraffin heater
- A spirit stove and fuel
- Fuel in the car tank
- A fire extinguisher
- A torch and a head torch
Communication
- A battery or solar radio, and spare batteries
- A mobile phone and charged power banks, and a charger
- Cash in small denominations
- Documents and important papers
- Important phone numbers on paper
Other
A first-aid kit and other medicines you need, prescription and over the counter; tissues and toilet paper; wet wipes and hand sanitiser; nappies and period products; bags and bin bags.
The 14-day note
The brochure's section on a long blackout goes further. It says everyone should have drinks and food for all members of the household for at least 14 days, with at least 4 litres of water per person per day: 2 to drink and 2 for cooking and hygiene. It also lists spare lighting (LED lights, candles, a head torch, a paraffin lamp), spare cooking options (solid or methylated spirit, a gas cooker, a grill), and a battery radio, not forgetting the car radio.
The evacuation bag
In an organised evacuation, the brochure sets weight limits: 25 kg per adult, 15 kg per child, plus 5 kg of hand luggage. Pack personal documents (and photos of them on your phone), money and cards; medicines and essential medical aids; basic food and drinking water for 2 to 3 days; personal hygiene items; a torch; a blanket or sleeping bag; spare underwear, clothes and shoes and a waterproof coat. For pets: food, bowls, a muzzle, a lead, a carrier and the pet passport.
How Slovakia compares
Our data counts 33 of our 51 items in Slovakia's list, and there is no item listed by 18 or more guides that it leaves out. Two items appear in four guides or fewer: a sleeping mat (with Latvia, Poland and Czechia) and fuel in the car (with Estonia, Czechia and Greece). It is also one of only five guides that lists a heater that works without power.
The brochure itself is careful about fire: think about the risk, keep fuel and open flames away from anything flammable, put out candles and heaters before you sleep, and air the room regularly. Use only heaters rated for indoor use, and add a carbon monoxide alarm.
Build yours
Our checklist covers Slovakia's home list. Set it to 3 days to start, then 7 or 10 to work towards the brochure's 14-day advice. For a winter outage, see the power cut checklist.