A country’s resilience to crises is largely dependent on the resilience of its inhabitants. The purpose of this article is to analyse the preparedness of Finnish and Swedish citizens for crises in comparison to other European countries. It examines how individuals and households prepare for disruptions in the functioning of infrastructure and state institutions. The research methods used are comparative, supplemented by quantitative and qualitative methods and a historical approach. The results indicate that Finnish citizens are more prepared for crises than citizens of Sweden and other European countries, which is a result of natural conditions, history, and a permanent sense of threat from Russia.