Survey shows majority think the risk of a national emergency has increased

Roughly 60 percent of people in the Netherlands think the risk of an emergency affecting large portions of the Netherlands has increased this past year. Whether the crisis is due to cyberattacks, extreme weather, or something unforeseen, a majority of respondents believe it is only a matter of time before an emergency takes place.

While 60 percent think it is not a question of if, but rather when an emergency will occur, fewer than 30 percent of survey respondents said they were prepared for such a situation. That group has taken measures, like assembling an emergency kit at home, according to the survey commissioned by the Ministry of Justice and Security, which was carried out by Markteffect.

Some have also prepared by readying emergency power, or they have made arrangements with family members about what to do in the event of an emergency. For example, 17 percent of the survey participants said they have arranged with family members where they will meet if they cannot get in contact with each other for a few days.

The survey asked whether people have enough supplies at home to get through a 72-hour emergency. Most Dutch people said they have enough toilet paper, medicine, and groceries. In the event of a power outage, 58 percent said they can survive for three days. Furthermore, almost half of the respondents think they have enough water at home.

The figure plunges to 32 percent “once people know they need 3 liters of water per person per day,” the researchers said. Furthermore, just over 40 percent have a battery-powered radio at home. In the event of a power outage that also knocks out the internet, such a radio is one of the few ways to gather information.

The Ministry of Justice and Security will launch a media campaign this fall to inform people about how to prepare for a 72-hour period without water, electricity, or internet. “Due to geopolitical developments, but also, for example, increasingly extreme weather, we live in unpredictable times,” says Minister Foort van Oosten.

“It’s therefore important that everyone can manage for themselves for 72 hours if vital services are unavailable and help is delayed.”