FIELD JOURNAL / Household readiness
Bug-In: the decision and what your household needs
Choose a safe base, organise the essentials and define when your plan needs to change.
Updated edition of an existing DSS article. Technical statements and links have been reviewed for the new website.
Bug-In describes remaining at home during a disruption and using your household plan and resources to manage it. The decision begins with the safety of your location, the needs of your household and the instructions issued for the incident.
Decide when staying is appropriate
Consider whether your building is safe, which essential services are available and whether anyone needs assistance. Identify what information would change your decision. A developing flood, fire or evacuation instruction calls for a different response from a temporary interruption to a service.
Avoid one rule for every hazard. In particular, an industrial or chemical incident may require sheltering indoors. Follow official advice about windows, ventilation, movement and evacuation.
Use an official starting point
Luxembourg publishes a guide to 72 hours of self-sufficiency. Use it to work through your household’s basic needs, then consider additional reserves according to your circumstances and available storage. A longer planning horizon should be identified as your household choice, rather than presented as a universal official requirement.
Plan water and food together
Work out what each person needs, including drinking, food preparation and hygiene. Consider pets and any individual needs. Follow official quantity guidance and local water-quality notices. Store suitable supplies safely and rotate them according to the instructions on the packaging.
Choose food your household normally eats, including options that can be used during a power cut. Consider allergies, infant feeding and other dietary needs. Plan how food can be prepared safely. Never use outdoor cooking or heating equipment indoors unless the manufacturer explicitly permits that use.
Organise light, warmth and medication
Keep accessible lighting and the batteries or charging equipment it needs. Think through safe ways to maintain warmth, particularly for people who may need assistance. Discuss continuity of essential medication with the relevant health professional. Store and use all equipment according to its instructions.
Keep information available
Record household contacts, useful official information sources and alternative meeting arrangements. Keep a battery-powered radio or another suitable way to receive information if your normal connection is interrupted. Text messages may be useful during congestion, but no communication channel is guaranteed to remain available.
Check practical home safety
Review entry points, lighting, escape routes and access to important documents. Security measures must preserve a safe way out of the building. Check what changes are appropriate for your home and tenancy, rather than assuming one product is the right answer for every property.
Practise the household routine
Agree who checks information, who looks after supplies and who may need help. Discuss the plan calmly, including age-appropriate arrangements for children. Check the equipment and update the plan when circumstances change.