Short answer. The official Swiss emergency supply combines the list of the Federal Office for National Economic Supply (FONES, German BWL) and the Alertswiss emergency plan: at least 9 litres of water per person, food for about one week, a battery radio receiving DAB+ and FM, a gas stove, 50 hygiene masks per person, medication, some cash and a first-aid kit 12.
What does the official Swiss list contain?
Each line below comes from FONES 1 or the Alertswiss emergency plan 2. Where the source gives no quantity, the table says so.
Water and drinks
| Item | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking water | 9 litres per person (1 six-pack of 1.5 L bottles) | 1 |
| Other drinks | not specified | 1 |
Food (together, about one week)
| Item | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Rice or pasta | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Oil or fat | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Canned food (vegetables, fruit, mushrooms) | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Flour, dry yeast | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Long-life sausages, dried meat | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Ready meals (e.g. rösti), instant soups | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Hard cheese, processed cheese | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Stock, salt, pepper | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Coffee, cocoa, tea | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Muesli, dried fruit, nuts | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Pulses | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Rusks or crispbread | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Chocolate | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| UHT milk, condensed milk | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Sugar, jam, honey | part of ~1 week of food | 2 |
| Special diet food (intolerances) | as needed | 2 |
| Pet food | as needed | 1 |
Light, power, cooking and information
| Item | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Battery radio receiving DAB+ and FM | 1 | 1 |
| Torch (crank torch suggested) | 1 | 2 |
| Spare batteries | not specified | 1 |
| Candles, matches and/or lighter | not specified | 1 |
| Gas stove (réchaud) | 1 | 1 |
Hygiene, health and money
| Item | Quantity | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hygiene masks | 50 per person | 1 |
| Disinfectant | not specified | 1 |
| Personal medication and regularly used hygiene items (soap, toilet paper) | as needed | 1 |
| Some cash | not specified | 1 |
| First-aid kit: anti-diarrhoea medicine, painkillers, thermometer, tweezers, wound ointment, dressings, plasters, bandage scissors | not specified | 2 |
How long should the supply last?
FONES recommends food for about one week ("Lebensmittel für rund 1 Woche") and presents the 9 litres of water as covering drinking and cooking for three days 1. Water suppliers must restore a minimum drinking-water supply from the fourth day of an interruption 1. The Alertswiss plan refers to 3 to 4 days 2. FONES offers an online calculator at www.notvorratsrechner.bwl.admin.ch to adapt quantities to your household 1.
How do I keep the list up to date?
Neither source sets a rotation schedule in the data checked here. Our guide on food shelf life and rotation covers the general principles, and the 72-hour kit guide compares this kind of list with grab-and-go bags. For water quantities across agencies, see water per person.
What about a ready-made kit?
If you consider a ready-made kit, compare its contents line by line with the table above: no kit replaces your own medication, special diet food or personal needs, and the official Swiss recommendations remain those of FONES and Alertswiss. You can equally assemble the whole supply yourself from the list as published.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Swiss list include a radio?
Yes: one battery radio that receives DAB+ and FM, plus spare batteries 1.
How many masks does Switzerland recommend?
50 hygiene masks per person, together with disinfectant 1.
Is a first-aid kit on the official list?
Yes. The Alertswiss plan lists anti-diarrhoea medicine, painkillers, a thermometer, tweezers, wound ointment, dressings, plasters and bandage scissors 2.
Does the list give exact food quantities?
No. Food items are presented as parts of a supply lasting about one week; FONES provides an online calculator for your household 12.
Sources
- Bundesamt für wirtschaftliche Landesversorgung BWL — Kluger Rat – Notvorrat — https://www.bwl.admin.ch/de/kluger-rat-notvorrat (accessed 2026-10-20)
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS (Alertswiss) — Notfallplan — https://www.alert.swiss/content/dam/alertswiss-internet/de/notfallplan/Emergency%20plan_A4_DE.pdf (accessed 2026-10-20)
Turn this into action
Your plan for Switzerland, worked out for your household.
- Water, food and equipment counted for each person and pet
- The nuclear plants and zones around your home
- Phaenyx Safe: one tap to tell your people you are safe
Sources
- Bundesamt für wirtschaftliche Landesversorgung BWL · Kluger Rat – Notvorrat checked 2026-10-20
- Bundesamt für Bevölkerungsschutz BABS (Alertswiss) · Notfallplan checked 2026-10-20