Danes are encouraged to prepare for crises. After Danish authorities on Saturday recommended that Danes have basic necessities in stock, the country’s citizens now face the challenge of considering the everyday struggles of Orest Andersen. “My main advice must be not to panic,” says 49-year-old Orest Andersen. For five years, Orest Andersen has lived in the Swedish wilderness with his wife, Lykke Andersen. Several times, the couple has had to fend for themselves due to the extreme weather in Northern Sweden. “You can handle many situations if you just remain calm,” he explains.
Since leaving their apartment in Østerbro in Copenhagen to live a more natural life, challenges have not been lacking. A four-kilometer private road leads up to their home, and the road is not cleared by the authorities. During harsh winters, it is therefore the couple’s responsibility to clear it, but their old tractor cannot handle more than half a meter of snow. They have therefore been snowed in several times. An essential help in these situations has been the local solidarity in the nearest village. “I know that the people in the local village help us in crisis situations, so I would advise Danes to show more helpfulness towards their neighbors,” says Orest Andersen.
He also emphasizes the importance of having practical tools available. According to Orest Andersen, a straw with a filter is an essential item to have. “Then you can get water to drink, and that is after all the most important thing for survival,” he says. Orest Andersen has needed medical help several times, and the house he lives in is 180 kilometers from the nearest hospital and 70 kilometers from a first aid center. He believes that one can learn a lot from how people live far out in the countryside. “People grow old and are healthy. Here, 80-year-old women walk around all day collecting berries,” he says.
On Saturday, the Danish Emergency Management Agency recommended that all Danes should have water and food to last three days at home. In addition to water and food, it is also recommended to have iodine tablets for individuals under 40 years old, as well as for pregnant and breastfeeding women. An FM radio and necessary medication are also important to have in stock. The director of the Emergency Management Agency and the Minister of Defense, Troels Lund Poulsen (V), stressed at a press conference that there was no reason for panic.