What belongs in a home supply kit to last 72 hours without shops?
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A home supply kit, kotivara in Finnish, should last the whole household at least 72 hours. It is made up of things you use in everyday life anyway: water, food, medicines and a few small items. According to the 72 tuntia (72 hours) website run by the Finnish Rescue Association SPEK, a kotivara is not a separate emergency stockpile. The items are used as needed and replaced with new ones.
Why is a home supply kit so easy to forget?
SPEK notes that in a city the point of a home supply is easily forgotten, because shops are close and takeaway food is available. The idea of a kotivara is that the basics are at home even when you cannot get to a shop.
How long do 72 hours last?
SPEK's heading says "at least 72 hours", so three days is a minimum, not a target. Plan for the whole household: the list applies to everyone living at home, pets included.
What should you find at home?
SPEK's list is long. Below it is grouped, and it includes the items that do not involve heating or cooking. The grouping is ours, the content is SPEK's.
| Group | What belongs |
|---|---|
| Water | Clean containers with lids, bottled water at least 5 litres per person, food and water for pets |
| Food | Easy-to-prepare food that suits every family member |
| Power and information | A battery-powered radio, a battery-powered torch, batteries, a charged power bank for a phone, for example |
| Health and hygiene | Essential medicines, iodine tablets, first aid supplies, hygiene items (for example wet wipes and hand sanitiser), plastic bags and toilet paper |
| Safety and other | A smoke alarm, a hand fire extinguisher or fire blanket, duct tape, a little cash |
The list also has items that concern heating and cooking during a power cut. Read those directly from the source, because using them safely takes instructions that we do not go through here. A printable PDF list is available on 72tuntia.fi (in Finnish).
What kind of food goes into a home supply kit?
- Get food that you eat anyway.
- Keep dry food at home, such as nuts or dried fruit.
- Favour long-lasting foods that are quick to prepare, need little water or can be eaten without cooking.
- Remember special diets and pets.
What does a power cut do to the contents of the fridge and freezer?
SPEK advises using the perishable items in the fridge first, such as milk, and opening the doors of cold appliances only when necessary. Thawing from -18 °C to 0 °C can take several days.
How do you put a home supply kit together without one big shopping trip?
Because a kotivara is made of things used in everyday life, you can build it in stages.
- Go through the list and note what you already have at home.
- Add the missing items to your shopping list a few at a time.
- Use the supplies normally and buy new ones to replace them, as SPEK advises.
Why is a clothing brand writing about a home supply kit?
Potero is a clothing brand, not a rescue organisation, so the list and the advice come from SPEK. The topic still belongs here, because readiness is part of everyday life: you do your share before it is needed. If you want to continue with preparedness, the MPK course guide (in Finnish) shows where to start with a first course. There is also a layering guide on clothing layers, and the Potero Standard hoodies are in the collection.
Source
Finnish Rescue Association SPEK, 72 tuntia campaign, Kotivara (in Finnish). The page has no publication date, so check the current list there.
