All EU households warned to prepare WW3 survival kit to last families three days

The European Union is pushing for all households in the 27-country bloc to prepare a three-day survival kit in case of a major conflict or natural disaster crisis

The European Union is urging all households to prepare a survival kit that can last their families for three days amid fears of a potential war. EU crisis management commissioner Hadja Lahbib has called on every citizen to be equipped for 72 hours of self-reliance, advising families to stockpile essentials such as food, bottled water, torches, matches, and ID documents in a waterproof pouch.

This initiative is part of a wider "preparedness strategy" within the EU, following the advice from a report given to the European Commission by Finland's ex-president Sauli Niinistö last year. "Today's threats facing Europe are more complex than ever, and they are all interconnected," Ms Lahbib commented on Wednesday, emphasising that "knowing what to do in case of danger, gaming out different scenarios, that's also a way to prevent people from panicking."

Ms Lahbib highlighted the need for the EU to create a "strategic reserve" and amass other crucial supplies including firefighting aircraft; medical, energy, and transport equipment; and specialised tools to counter chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear dangers.

Meanwhile, the French could soon get a special booklet telling them what to have prepared at home in case of a conflict or natural disaster.

A new "survival manual", which contains 63 measures among its 20 pages, tells the French how to protect themselves and their loved ones in a number of terrifying situations, including armed conflict, a nuclear leak, and natural disasters. It advised to have six litres of water, tinned food, and basic medical supplies.

The General Secretariat for Defence and National Security (SGDSN) oversaw the creation of the booklet, and reportedly hatched the idea for it back in 2022 during the Covid-19 pandemic as a strategy to improve public preparedness. It still has to be approved by Prime Minister François Bayrou if it is to be released before summer.

The strategy draws inspiration from Scandinavian countries like Finland, Sweden, and Denmark, which have all stepped up their preparations to ready their citizens for any impending crisis.

Sweden distributed a 32-page booklet entitled If Crisis of War Comes and circulated five million of them. It told households to store food and water so they're ready if conflict comes knocking.

Meanwhile, Finland put up a government website explaining how people should prepare for a number of catastrophes.

"An insecure world requires preparedness. The military threat to Sweden has increased and we must prepare for the worst - an armed attack," the Swedish book states in its introduction.