The Federal Government has launched a campaign to help people prepare for emergencies. Households across Belgium are being urged to be ready to cope for at least 72 hours, if for example there was a large-scale power outage or the internet was down. The initiative that was launched today (Tuesday 21 April) form part of a 4-year plan by the National Crisis Centre to improve public resilience amid growing geopolitical tensions and natural disasters.
Officials say that emergencies can occur “anywhere and at any time”. The public is encouraged to play a more active role in preparing for emergency situations. The aim to build awareness and teach people how to respond quickly and effectively.
Phase 1 of the campaign focuses on helping the public find reliable information during a crisis. The public is urged to sign up to the government’s BE-Alert system and follow official communication channels in times of crisis. Rumours and misinformation often spread like wildfire during emergencies.
The Federal Interior minister Bernard Quintin (Francophone liberal) says that the risks of war and natural disasters have increased in recent years. However, he was keen to stress that the aim of the campaign was to create awareness among the public and not to cause alarm. Being prepared is a shared responsibility, the Interior Minister said.
Emergency kit
The public are encouraged to keep an emergency kit at home. The Federal Government advises households to store enough supplies to last for 3 days. These supplies include water, non-perishable foods, basic medical items, torches, batteries, cash and hygiene products.
The public are also encouraged to prepare a smaller “grab bag” in case they need to leave quickly. The “grab bag” should contain essential items such as food, water, important documents, a phone charger and first aid supplies.
The campaign will expand over time to cover additional risks, including nuclear incidents. It will also involve local authorities to ensure guidance is relevant to everyday life. The authorities say that by improving the public preparedness the emergency services will be better able to focus on those most in need during a crisis.