WSJ What’s News: Inside the New Era of Emergency Readiness

Date: October 26, 2025
Host: Caitlin McCabe
Focus: Exploring the expanding world of emergency preparedness—from government policy to personal “prepping”—in response to rising global threats and growing uncertainty.

Episode Overview

This episode of What’s News Sunday dives into the evolving landscape of emergency readiness. Once the domain of so-called "doomsday preppers," a shifting global risk environment has prompted governments, businesses, and individuals to take preparedness more seriously. The show examines official government guidance, business adaptations, and grassroots prepping from Europe to Asia and the United States—ultimately highlighting the growing importance of both personal responsibility and community resilience in facing modern disruptions.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. From Fringe to Mainstream: Why Prepping is Going Global

• Changing Perceptions: Prepping is no longer seen as just for the paranoid—today, it’s considered prudent due to escalating risks like extreme weather, geopolitical tensions, and technology-driven misinformation.
  • “In a world filled with increasing threats, governments and people are increasingly finding that being prepared is just plain prudent.” — Caitlin McCabe (00:27)
• Global Examples of Recent Disruptions:
  • Russian drones over NATO countries.
  • Threat of Chinese invasion in Taiwan by 2027.
  • Power blackouts in Spain and Portugal.
  • Ongoing recovery from major wildfires in California.

2. Government-Driven Readiness Initiatives

• Europe’s 72-Hour Rule: EU and local governments now urge citizens to stock enough essentials for three days.

  • “The European Commission earlier this year advised residents in EU countries to build a stockpile of essential supplies that could last for at least 72 hours.” — Caitlin McCabe (01:40)

• Denmark’s National Guidance:

  • Official recommendations sent to all households: water, canned food, first aid kits, cash, wind-up radios, etc.
    • “Dane should be able to take care of themselves for 72 hours in case of a crisis occurring.” — Tostenszak Pillarsen, Danish Minister for Resilience and Preparedness (03:59)
  • Public compliance initially low—until drone incursions stoked fears and led to runs on canned goods and freeze-dried food (04:45).

• Business Collaboration:

  • Volt (owned by DoorDash) created online prepping goods categories due to surging demand.
    • “Our point of view is that…we might as well play on all the possible ways of solving a crisis like this... we can be an extra add on to how we as a society prepare for darker times.” — Cern Svensson, Volt General Manager (05:21)
  • Danish government exploring “emergency grocery stores” that could function without the internet or payment systems (06:19).

• Tech Challenges:

  • Businesses like Volt acknowledge limitations (such as reliance on electricity or online payments), and consider backup options, e.g., cash.
    • “As of now, I think it's definitely worth considering. Can we potentially accept cash in our world market stores in case of emergency? But we don't have that plain set in stone yet.” — Cern Svensson (06:58)

3. Preparedness Beyond Europe

• Japan’s Steadfast Culture of Readiness
  • Decades of disaster prep have saved lives from earthquakes and typhoons.
• Taiwan’s Go Bags and Crisis Planning
  • Updated government handbooks emphasize evacuation kits tailored for adults, kids, elderly, and pets.
    • “There are different types of go bags that people actually prepare for different needs.” — Zhou Yu Wong, WSJ Taipei Reporter (08:13)

4. Grassroots & Personal Prepping

• COVID-19 as a Wake-Up Call
  • Toilet paper and food shortages during the pandemic exemplify the need for basic readiness.
    • “That's the kind of situation that Dan Goss in the United Kingdom is trying to avoid for the next time crisis strikes.” — Caitlin McCabe (09:36)
• Everyday Approach to Prepping
  • Focus on practical, local, and mutual-aid models—not just extreme prepping.
    • “It's got to be quite a sensible, close to the ground approach at the moment.” — Dan Goss, Start Prepping UK (10:02)
  • Community education and collective resilience emphasized.
    • “The more people that are prepared, the better off we all are collectively.” — Dan Goss (10:31)

5. The Vital Role of Community

• Self-Reliance over Government Aid

  • Preppers see individual and community responsibility as key, especially amid declining trust in institutions.
    • “The government cannot [be responsible for everyone]... Ultimately it is not the government's role to take care of us.” — Jonathan Jones, Utah prepper (10:56)
  • Experimenting with Self-Sufficiency
    • Joneses conducted a 90-day no-shopping challenge—relying on trading and local resources.
      • “...we would exchange garden produce... for fresh milk... because we can't do it alone.” — Jonathan Jones (12:20)

• Practical Starting Points

  • Focus on basics: water, food, fuel, shelter, and security.
    • “If you get those basics covered, you can be okay.” — Jonathan Jones (12:45)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Prepping is a way to make our society more resilient… authorities can focus on the real problem…instead of bringing bottled water and toilet paper to the suburbs because people didn't take the personal responsibility.”
  — Tostenszak Pillarsen, Danish Minister for Resilience and Preparedness (04:10)

• “You start to see the immediate day-to-day utility in being able to respond to unexpected situations as they come up.”
  — Dan Goss, Start Prepping UK (10:02)

• “It doesn't take much to meet your basic needs… get those basics covered, you can be okay.”
  — Jonathan Jones (12:45)

Important Timestamps

• 00:17 – Theme introduction: modernizing emergency preparedness
• 01:40 – Recap of recent global crises shaping policy
• 03:23–07:20 – Denmark’s prepping drive, business response, and government-business collaboration
• 07:30–08:54 – Japan & Taiwan: national contexts and specific prepping guidance
• 09:36–13:00 – Individual and community prepping in the UK and US; practical advice

Tone & Language

The tone is informative but practical and accessible, with both experts and everyday people sharing grounded, actionable insights.

Summary for Listeners

“Inside the New Era of Emergency Readiness” unpacks how global instability, new technologies, and lived experiences like COVID-19 have erased the stigma from prepping. From pantries in Denmark to go bags in Taiwan, and mutual-aid prepping in the UK and US, the episode reveals a universal shift: resilience is now a shared responsibility among governments, businesses, and individuals—and your first step might be as simple as storing a jug of water or getting to know your neighbors.