Emergency preparedness reasonable but can openers lacking

THE HAGUE – The preparedness of the Dutch citizenry for possible disasters is deemed to be reasonably good. This is the conclusion reached by market researchers who polled the public on behalf of the Internal Affairs ministry. More than four out of every ten households have emergency supplies on hand to tie them over for at least three days when without drinking water, natural gas and electricity. The preparedness level was connected to happenings in recent years in which the consequences were witnessed in the media of life without electricity (in one such incident a military helicopter downed power lines on a cold winter day), huge storms, threats of flooding and unseasonably hot weather. Over a thousand households were questioned regarding their emergency preparedness. The survey was part of a campaign to push the public towards creating an emergency package with such items as emergency lights, blankets and medication. While they scored well on water and canned food, far fewer had included a can opener in their emergency supply package.