Battery-powered radios, medicines, canned food: Catalonia launches home emergency kit campaign

An emergency kit at home can help households deal with blackouts, isolation due to flooding, or stay-at-home orders.

The Catalan government has launched a campaign aimed at encouraging people to put together a pack of essentials, which include, among other items, battery-powered radios, medicines, and canned food.

Interior minister Núria Parlon explained that the campaign, which has been visible in the media and in public spaces, aims to put self-protection and citizens' "co-responsibility" at the center, encouraging a shift from a "passive" to an "active" approach in dealing with emergency situations.

Parlon stated that the goal is to encourage "prevention" and reduce the feeling of "stress and helplessness" through the emergency kits recommended by the Civil Protection agency. 

72 hours

The minister emphasized that the campaign takes a positive approach to the challenge of self-protection, preparing people to face any situation and be self-sufficient for 72 hours, or three days.

Among the scenarios in which the kit could be needed, she mentioned power outages, being unable to travel due to roads cut off by flooding, or having to stay confined at home.

"Our society is increasingly exposed to risks," Parlon said, citing climate change and extreme weather events.

She explained that the aim is not to create alarm, but to encourage prevention and civic responsibility.

Civil Protection and emergency management authorities are promoting a culture of self-protection, she said, which works alongside the activation of official emergency plans and services.

The campaign also seeks to explain why having an emergency kit at home is so important. "By creating a clear mental framework in which citizens prepare a kit, we are already taking a much more proactive and effective approach to managing any emergency," Parlon concluded.

What should be in an emergency kit?

Civil Protection has been recommending home emergency kits for the past ten years, describing them as an "essential" tool. Now, the government is launching an information campaign to highlight their importance.

A basic kit should include a battery-powered radio, a flashlight with spare batteries, a first-aid kit and any regular medications, credit cards and cash, water (1.5 liters per person per day), and non-perishable food such as canned goods.

It should also contain essential documents, a mobile phone, and a charger, and be stored near the front door for easy access.

If there are children, elderly people, or others with special needs in the household, the kit should also include items such as nappies, or any specific food or medication needed. Pet owners should also include supplies for their animals.