Nearly 450,000,000 people warned to prepare for war with ’72 hour survival kits’

Everyone in the EU has been told to pack a kit that will help them survive for three days in case of war or natural disaster.

The advice, issued to nearly half a billion people across 27 countries, includes telling people to buy bottled water, energy bars, a torch, and waterproof pouches for IDs.

Crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib said: ‘Today’s threats facing Europe are more complex than ever, and they are all interconnected.

‘Knowing what to do in case of danger, gaming out different scenarios, that’s also a way to prevent people from panicking.

‘All of this comes in addition to national strategies.’

And EU households could soon get a handbook to help them prepare for ‘various crises, from potential conflict to climate disasters, pandemics and cyber threats.’ 

The latest developments come amid a rise in tensions due to the war in Ukraine, political upheaval across Europe and climate change.

The EU’s announcement comes just a week after France decided to issue 20-page survival manuals, with 63 measures on how the French can protect themselves from armed conflict, natural disasters, industrial accidents and nuclear leaks.

It also includes the essentials needed in these scenarios like six litres of water, canned food, batteries, a torch, paracetamol and bandages.

But the French government insists it is not being released because of the looming threat of Vladimir Putin.

Instead, it said the manual has been in the works since 2022, after the COVID-19 pandemic, to prepare the country for a similar type of scenario.

Many countries in the EU are already well prepared for natural disaster – including Finland, where Metro toured one of the underground bunkers which will serve as a refuge for Finns in case of war or emergency.

In Finland, there are 50,500 civil defence shelters, with the capability to shelter more than 4.8 million people – both Finnish nationals and those who may be visiting from abroad.

The Finnish Ministry of the Interior explains: ‘Civil defence shelters protect against the effects of explosions and splinters, collapse of buildings, blasts, radiation and substances hazardous to health.’

91% of the shelters are able to sustain an attack conducted with conventional weapons, while 83% are equipped to also provide shelter from gas emissions or nuclear emergencies.

During times of peace, the shelters are used for recreational activities, such as sports halls, metro stations, parking lots and even a children’s play area.

The only prerequisite for any businesses operating in the shelters is that they are able to clear the area for use in 72 hours.

And in case of emergency or war, the Finnish Civil Defence volunteers help coordinate the response to organise those sheltering in the bunkers.

Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.

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