While the European Commission proposes that each family of the bloc will be prepared to survive 72 hours without external support, France seems to be, so far, the only country with concrete plans to put this idea into practice. The French government has announced that it intends to distribute, before the European summer, a “survival manual” to all homes in the country – and may include kits with essential items.
the French manual also features a clear suggestion of emergency kit: six liters of water per person, a dozen cans of food, flashlights, batteries and medical supplies such as acetaminophen, compresses and saline.
Other items that will be recommended by the manual include radio, Swiss knife, cold clothes, copies of home and vehicle keys, as well as games, copies of documents and paper money.
Part of these items, said the French government, will be distributed to the population.
According to a spokeswoman by Prime Minister François Bayrou, the goal is to prepare the population for “imminent threats” such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, pandemics and even armed conflicts in French territory. “The manual aims to encourage citizens to develop their resilience in the face of different types of crisis,” he said in an interview with CNN on the last day 19.
The 20 -page booklet, which awaits final government approval, will be divided into three sections with practical guidelines. Recommendations include: Maintaining an emergency contact list, knowing how to tune in to Blecaut’s communication radios, close all doors during a nuclear accident and even consider volunteering in local reserve forces.
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The measure follows a broader movement of strengthening the country’s defensive abilities. In early March, President Emmanuel Macron announced plans to expand the number of military reservists from 40,000 to 100,000 by 2035. “Our country and our continent should continue to defend and prepare if we want to avoid war,” Macron said during a visit to a military base.
Meanwhile, other European Union countries continue to wait. Despite the appeal made by the Commission for the Member States to adopt coordinated actions, there is no signs that similar measures are ongoing on a large scale outside France.
For experts, the difference in rhythm between European countries reflects not only the internal political scenario of each, but also the perception of risk of the population. “Nordic countries like Sweden and Finland have a more rooted culture of preparation,” French teacher Laure Mourgue d’ami told CNN. “In France, this knowledge is still incipient – but this primer makes sense as a starting point.”
