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Germans Will Be Warned To Stockpile Food, Water, And Money In Case Of Terror Attack

By Georgia Makitalo
Published on: 09:41 PST, Aug 22, 2016

The German government intends to request that the residents of their country each prepare for a national emergency by stockpiling food, water, and even cash money to last for 10 days. Originally reported in German by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung newspaper and then globally in English by Reuters, this is the first time since the end of the Cold War that German citizens are being asked to prepare for a possible catastrophe such as a terror attack.

The document, titled “Concept for Civil Defense,” was written by the German Interior Ministry for the residents of Germany to prepare for a possible terror attack or similar catastrophic event. The wording indicates that this sort of attack would be detrimental enough to require 10 days of food and water to be stockpiled. Currently, Germany is on high alert. Now, they are taking this precaution one step further by recommending that residents begin to stockpile basic necessities now.

“The population will have to hold an individual food stock that is to last ten days.”

In the past 18 months, there have been numerous terror attacks on European soil, including three attacks in Germany, consisting of a shooting rampage and two Islamic attacks. These attacks have resulted in Germany beefing up police protection and creating law enforcement units to combat increasing cyber crime and terrorism.

Although the document said “an attack on German territory, requiring conventional defense of the nation, is unlikely,” yet a more serious terror threat should never be ruled out. Thus, this civil defense recommendation to stockpile has been created.

Instead of considering this recommendation to be fear mongering, the report does not foresee an attack on German soil, an act that would require military power. Instead, this 69-page report is recommending preparation in the case a terror attack was to take place on German soil.

In the modern world, a terror attack could certainly include an attack on the power grids, a cyber attack on transportation computers, or other such occurrences. By asking the people of the country to stockpile basic goods, this preparation could keep vehicles off the road and emergency personnel the able to rapidly traverse to areas where there is a great need for immediate assistance should a crisis occur.

Despite the fact that this report will not be presented until Wednesday, different political parties have already attacked this document. Left-wing Die Linke party Dietmar Bartsch expressed concern about hysteria and hoarding and said that “you can completely unsettle people with yet another round of proposals, such as hoarding supplies.” On the other hand, the Greens’ deputy parliamentary leader Konstantin von Notz was pleased that the civil defense recommendation will be updated for the first time in over 20 years, but he was also critical of the suggestion that citizens stockpile.

“I can’t see any attack scenario that merits a stockpiling of supplies by the population.”

BBC News reports that currently, the former West Germany has close to 2,000 shelters and bunkers, while the area of the former East Germany has an undisclosed amount of shelters. Shelters range from schools, cellars in private homes or businesses, and garages.

The recommendation to stockpile comes directly from Germany’s own civil procedures. There are an undisclosed number of secret locations that hold stockpiles of food, dried milk, water, and other necessities should there be a national disaster. These stockpiles are said to be regularly refreshed. Should a disaster occur, the government is prepared for rationing of essential items and is prepared to issue food and fuel stamps.

Do you think that every country should recommend that their citizens stockpile food, water, and money?

[Photo by Johannes Simon/Getty Images]

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