Checklist · 30 days · cooking & heat
Heat & cooking
Cooking without electricity and staying warm when the heating fails. We calculate the fuel for 30 days – our recommendation, disclosed as our own calculation – with safe storage and clear ventilation rules. Staying warm means first of all: clothing, blankets and body heat – every open flame indoors follows the safety rules.
Last reviewed on 26.07.2026
This template can be saved and customised in your account as your own tickable checklist.
Sign in and adoptCooking
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Gas / camping stove | — | use it indoors only briefly and with good ventilation – never in small rooms under 15 m³ or in a tent (EKAS/FCOS Directive 6517) |
| Gas & fuel cartridges | 12–16 × 230 g for 30 days (2 pers.) | our recommendation, own calculation: 3–4 cartridges a week for cooking, over 30 days about 12–16; families and cold surroundings: more – never store them in the cellar or basement |
| Fire pit / grill (outdoors) | — | never use a grill and charcoal indoors or in the garage – carbon monoxide can kill within minutes |
| Pot, pan, cutlery, can opener | — | — |
| Thermos flask(s) | — | boil once, stays hot for hours – saves gas and flame running time |
| Fire steel, stormproof matches & lighter | — | — |
| Fire blanket within reach | — | smother small fires (toaster, candles) – for a fat fire the first choice is a lid or a class F extinguisher, never water; fire extinguishers: «Tools & protection» checklist |
Staying warm
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Warm clothing in layers | — | — |
| Sleeping bags & warm blankets | per person | go by the comfort temperature of the standard rating, not by the extreme value |
| Emergency blankets (foil) | — | no substitute for a blanket – real blankets and sleeping bags first |
| Hot water bottle(s) | per person | hot water from the stove warms the bed and sleeping bag for hours – much more economical than heating the room |
| Turn one room into a warm room | — | everyone into one small room, doors and curtains closed, block draughts – body heat and blankets instead of an improvised heater; do not let it cool below 18 °C (WHO), older people and small children need more |
| Alternative heat source (e.g. paraffin or gas heater) | — | optional – only appliances designed for indoor use with a safety cut-off; follow the manufacturer's instructions, ventilate regularly, never operate unattended or while asleep – the federal authorities advise against it (see above) |
| CO detector (EN 50291 standard) | — | cheap and effective: warns of the invisible, odourless carbon monoxide – strongly recommended for any combustion in the room; it does not replace ventilation, details in the «Energy & light» checklist |
Fuel & storage
| Item | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Wood / briquettes | — | if a stove is available |
| Paraffin / methylated spirits | — | store cool, ventilated, not in living areas; never refill a hot or burning burner with methylated spirits – risk of flash fire, let it cool down completely first |
| Never store liquefied petroleum gas in the cellar or basement | — | gas is heavier than air and collects at the bottom – this also applies to camping cartridges; store it outdoors or well ventilated, never in escape routes (VKF/AEAI fire protection directive 26-15) |
| Check heating oil or gas level | — | — |
| In freezing weather: protect the water pipes | — | if the heating is out for longer: drain outdoor pipes, insulate pipes in cold rooms, open the taps briefly now and then |