Practical branded merchandise can do more than promote your business. It can play a part in emergency preparedness.
On 22 October 2026, the UK Government launched its new Be Ready campaign, encouraging households to take simple, practical steps to prepare for emergencies and temporary disruption to everyday services.
With climate change contributing to more extreme weather, including heavy rainfall and flooding, and growing cyber threats posing risks to essential infrastructure, unexpected events can disrupt the everyday services we rely on, from electricity and water to phone networks and internet access.
The UK Government’s campaign encourages households to consider how they would manage during three days of disruption, with advice ranging from keeping essential supplies at home to preparing emergency contact information and checking on vulnerable neighbours.
For businesses, it’s also an opportunity to consider how they can support their employees, customers and communities through preparedness initiatives. This is where useful, branded merchandise can play a role.
Practical Branded Merchandise for Emergency Situations
The most effective branded merchandise serves a genuine purpose. Products that help solve everyday problems are more likely to be kept, used and valued, particularly when their usefulness extends beyond the workplace.
Many products commonly used in promotional merchandise are also practical additions to a household emergency kit.
Which power banks are best for emergency preparedness?
If a power cut lasted for three days, a solar-powered power bank could offer an additional advantage over a conventional power bank, providing the option to recharge using sunlight when mains electricity is unavailable.
Portable power banks are a practical addition to an emergency preparedness kit, helping to keep mobile phones charged for contacting family, accessing important information and receiving emergency updates. Even if mobile networks or internet services are disrupted, a charged smartphone can still be useful for offline applications, stored emergency contacts and its built-in torch.
For longer periods without electricity, higher-capacity power banks and models with solar charging capabilities are worth considering. However, solar charging performance depends on sunlight and panel size, so it’s important to choose a product suited to the intended use.
For emergency preparedness, we’d recommend considering multifunctional products such as the Quest Solar Power Bank.
Combining a 10,000mAh battery with 20W charging, a built-in solar panel and an integrated 18-LED torch, this branded power bank offers several practical features in one compact device.
The torch provides six lighting modes, including an SOS setting and red flashing light, while the IP44 rating offers protection against splashing water, making it suitable for outdoor use.
The solar panel provides an additional charging option when mains electricity is unavailable, although charging times depend on sunlight conditions. We’d recommend fully charging the power bank in advance and treating solar charging as a useful backup feature in case of a real emergency.
Why Should You Include a Torch in an Emergency Preparedness Kit?
A reliable torch is one of the essential items recommended in the UK Government’s Be Ready campaign. During a power cut, particularly at night, having access to a portable light source can help you navigate your home safely, locate essential supplies and carry out everyday tasks without relying on mains electricity.
While most smartphones have a built-in torch, a dedicated LED torch can help preserve valuable phone battery life for communication and accessing emergency information.
Compact, battery-operated torches are particularly useful for keeping in household emergency kits, vehicles or bags, ensuring a light source is readily available when needed.
The Survival Magnetic Torch is a compact, lightweight branded torch designed for convenience and portability. Made from aluminium and ABS, this clever little torch features a carabiner attachment that makes it easy to secure to a backpack, bag or keyring. Simply detach the torch from its magnetic holder to activate the LED light, then reattach it to switch it off.
Measuring just 64mm in length, it takes up very little space, making it a practical addition to a branded emergency preparedness kit. It also comes with batteries included, ready for immediate use. We would recommend keeping spare batteries too.
For businesses developing employee safety packs or practical branded merchandise campaigns, this torch offers a simple, useful product that recipients can keep close at hand, whether at home, travelling or outdoors.
What Should Be Included in an Emergency First Aid Kit?
Having access to basic first aid supplies is an important part of emergency preparedness, whether you’re dealing with minor injuries at home, travelling or facing an unexpected disruption to everyday services.
The UK Government’s Be Ready campaign recommends keeping a first aid kit containing essentials such as waterproof plasters, bandages, antiseptic, sterile dressings, gloves and medical tape. These supplies can help manage minor injuries when immediate access to shops or medical services may be limited.
Branded first aid kits are available in different sizes, from compact, portable pouches to more comprehensive kits with a wider range of supplies. For businesses, they offer a practical merchandise option for employee wellbeing initiatives, workplace safety campaigns and emergency preparedness packs.
Alongside first aid supplies, it’s also worth considering an emergency thermal blanket. During colder weather or prolonged power cuts, when heating may be unavailable, these lightweight blankets can help retain body heat and provide an additional layer of protection.
Our Recommended Branded First Aid Kits and Emergency Essentials
A compact first aid kit supplied in a nylon pouch, featuring plasters, bandages, dressings, medical tape and other useful supplies for treating minor injuries. Its Velcro straps allow it to be attached to a bicycle handle, making it a practical choice for travel, cycling and outdoor activities.
For those looking for a more comprehensive option, the Sierra first aid kit contains 37 pieces housed in a durable protective case. With a wider selection of dressings, plasters, gloves, cleansing wipes and a burn dressing, it’s a useful addition to household emergency supplies, vehicles or workplace preparedness packs.
Emergency First Aid Thermal Blanket
Compact, lightweight and easy to store, this 130 × 210cm emergency blanket is designed to help retain body heat during unexpected situations. Made from PET film, it folds down into a small package that can be conveniently stored in a backpack, vehicle or emergency preparedness kit.
Although it doesn’t replace suitable warm clothing or conventional blankets, it offers an additional layer of protection when warmth is particularly important.
Why Is an Emergency Radio Important During a Power Cut?
During a prolonged power cut or emergency, access to information can be just as important as having essential supplies. If mobile networks or internet connections become unavailable, how would you receive important updates about what’s happening in your local area?
The UK Government’s Be Ready campaign recommends keeping a battery-powered or wind-up FM radio as part of a household emergency kit. Unlike smartphones and internet-connected devices such as smart speakers, traditional radios can receive broadcasts without relying on a home broadband connection or mobile network, providing an alternative way to stay informed during disruption.
For longer periods without electricity, emergency radios with solar panels or manual wind-up mechanisms offer additional flexibility, allowing the radio’s battery to be recharged without access to mains power.
Many modern emergency radios also combine several useful functions, including LED torches, SOS alarms and USB charging capabilities, making them a practical addition to branded employee preparedness packs and household emergency kits.
Our Recommended Emergency Radios for Branded Preparedness Kits
Philips TAR1609 Emergency Radio with Torch
The Philips TAR1609 combines AM/FM radio reception with an integrated flashlight and SOS alarm, offering several useful emergency features in one portable device.
With three charging options, including solar power, USB and a manual hand crank, it provides flexibility when access to electricity is limited. Its compact design makes it a practical choice for households, travel and emergency preparedness kits.
Muse MH-08 Solar and Wind-Up Emergency Radio
The Muse MH-08 is a multifunctional emergency radio that combines AM/FM reception with a Bluetooth speaker, integrated torch and backup phone charging.
It can be recharged using solar power, a manual wind-up mechanism or the supplied USB cable, while its 1,000mAh battery offers a limited emergency charging option for compatible mobile devices.
With an IP64 rating for dust and water-splash protection, it’s also suited to outdoor activities, camping and travel, providing useful functionality beyond emergency situations.
SafeSound Solar and Wind-Up Emergency Radio
The SafeSound Emergency Radio combines AM/FM radio reception, a built-in flashlight and a 1,800mAh power bank function in one compact device.
With solar, manual wind-up and USB-C charging options, it provides an alternative way to power the radio when mains electricity isn’t available.
Offering up to 15 hours of battery life according to the manufacturer, it’s a practical multifunctional product for household emergency preparedness, travel and employee safety packs.
Why Should You Include a Blanket in Your Emergency Preparedness Kit?
The UK Government’s Be Ready campaign recommends keeping blankets, sleeping bags and warm clothing as part of your household emergency supplies. These everyday essentials can help retain body heat and provide comfort during unexpected situations.
A good-quality fleece blanket is a practical addition to emergency supplies, but it’s also a versatile branded merchandise choice. Whether used at home, while travelling or enjoying outdoor activities, a personalised blanket offers lasting value beyond its original purpose.
Our Recycled PET Fleece Blanket is made in Europe. The blanket combines warmth and comfort with the opportunity for creative brand personalisation thanks to full-colour branding.
Measuring 120 × 150cm and made from 250g/m² fleece, it offers a comfortable size for relaxing at home or keeping warm during unexpected disruptions.
One of its standout features is the ability to personalise the entire blanket using full-colour sublimation printing, allowing businesses to incorporate bespoke artwork, patterns and branding rather than simply adding a small logo.
The blanket has also been tested in accordance with EN ISO 105 standards for colour fastness, helping ensure the fabric and printed design withstand everyday use.
A thoughtful choice for employee gifts, winter wellbeing campaigns and bespoke emergency preparedness packs, this branded fleece blanket is a product recipients can continue enjoying throughout the year.
Bringing The Essentials Together: Branded Preparedness Kits
For businesses looking to help their employees with the Be Ready campaign, we can combine individual products into a bespoke branded preparedness kit.
Rather than distributing a collection of unrelated promotional items, businesses can create a practical package tailored to their audience.
For example, an employee preparedness kit might include a portable power bank, compact torch, first aid supplies and a branded organiser, accompanied by a printed checklist linking to official Government advice.
The contents can be tailored to different working environments, whether supporting office-based employees, hybrid teams, field workers or people who regularly travel.
Importantly, these kits should complement, rather than replace, individual emergency planning. Household requirements vary, and recipients should be encouraged to consider their own circumstances.
Supporting Employees and Communities Through Branded Merchandise
The Be Ready campaign also highlights the importance of community connections, sharing information and supporting those who may need additional help. For businesses, this creates opportunities to look beyond conventional promotional gifting.
Employee wellbeing initiatives, workplace safety campaigns, community outreach programmes and seasonal communications can all benefit from merchandise that reinforces practical messages.
A branded product becomes particularly meaningful when it supports a wider initiative, helping communicate a message while offering something the recipient can genuinely use.
Looking to develop a practical branded merchandise campaign?
Get in touch with the Brandelity by Geiger team to explore ideas for employee preparedness packs, branded safety products and bespoke merchandise kits.
For official emergency preparedness guidance, visit the UK Government’s Be Ready campaign at beready.campaign.gov.uk.
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