Official guidance from one European country urges its citizens to be prepared for crises and war with several steps, including an evacuation bag with 21 items.

21:19, Sun, Jan 25, 2026 Updated: 21:26, Sun, Jan 25, 2026

Putin at a press conference

WW3 fears have escalated over the past few months amid global tensions (Image: Getty)

Citizens of one European country are advised to pack 21 essential items in the event of a crisis or war. An official document from the government of Poland lays out the items that households will need in the event of an evacuation. The "Guide for Crisis and War" document, which was released in 2022, lists several ways households can be prepared for such an event. It is one of the numerous countries around Europe where citizens have been given preparation advice in case a war breaks out or another crisis takes place.

Fears of WW3 have escalated in recent months due to a number of global conflicts and tensions. Russia's war in Ukraine, which started with the full-scale invasion in 2022, has sparked WW3 concerns on numerous occasions. Meanwhile, the conflict between Israel and Iran last year has raised fears. And most recently, US President Donald Trump's desire to take control over Greenland has added to concerns of a global conflict. As well as Poland, countries like Sweden and Finland have also issued crisis advice for their citizens.

Among Poland's advice for its citizens is packing an evacuation bag that would ensure a family's survival for a minimum of seven days. This should be done in the event that people lose access to a supply of water, electricity and food amid a national crisis or outbreak of conflict.

"During a crisis, the risk of unavailability of electricity, water and food is very high," the advice reads. "Make sure you have everything you need in advance. Your goal is to survive one week."

The items that households in Poland are urged to pack in their evacuation bag are:

  • A battery-powered radio and spare batteries (so that they can listen out for official announcements and information)
  • A torch and spare batteries
  • A spoon, a knife and a fork
  • Rain jacket
  • The most necessary documents (such as birth certificates, ID cards and important medical information) and a flash drive with scans of these documents
  • Whistle
  • First aid kit (including paracetamol, ibuprofen, drugs against diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, electrolytes, thermometer, tweezers, dressings, gases, thermal foil, plasters, bandages, chemical plasters)
  • A sleeping bag
  • Plastic bags for rubbish
  • Lighter/matches
  • Respiratory/protective face masks
  • Change of clothes
  • Soap/disinfectant gel
  • Combination pliers, small crowbar, multifunction tool
  • Printed map, compass and GPS
  • Cash
  • Meals for two days
  • Can opener
  • Knife, pencil and notebook
  • A piece of string and zip ties
  • Filter bottle with a new filter

They also advise attaching a card with a name and address to each bag. Each family member should have their own individual pack.

Recently, Poland started distributing fresh survival guides to all 17million households in the country. The handbook includes instructions for air raids, terrorist incidents, cyber disruption and the possible use of chemical, biological or nuclear weapons.

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Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk wrote on X (formerly Twitter): "We have already delivered over 4 million Safety Guides. The ‘Safety Guide’ complements the activities carried out under the Population Protection and Civil Defence Program and, step by step, reaches every household, directly into the hands of citizens."

As numerous countries distribute these survival guides, Professor Anthony Glees, a security and defence expert and lecturer at the University of Buckingham, told The Mirror that the UK should follow suit.