Civil defenseGermany to unveil a civil defense plan calling on citizens to stockpile food, water

Published 23 August 2016

The German government will tell citizens to stockpile food and water in their homes in order to prepare for a terror attack or catastrophe. The German cabinet will on Wednesday debate an Interior Ministry report, called the “Concept for Civil Defense,” which, among other things will require the population to stockpile enough food ten days and water for five days.

The German government will tell citizens to stockpile food and water in their homes in order to prepare for a terror attack or catastrophe.

Frankfurter Allgemmeine Zeitung (FAZ) reports that the “Concept for Civil Defense” (Zivilschutz-Konzept, also referred to in the report as Konzeption zivile Verteidigung or Zivilverteidigungskonzept), which has not yet been released, will require the population to stockpile enough food ten days and water for five days.

Earlier this month the government  announced it would invest more in the police and security forces, including creating a special unit to fight cybercrime and terrorism.

The Interior Ministry said the plan would be discussed by the cabinet on Wednesday and presented by the interior minister that afternoon. No details were given.

FAZ notes that the report detailing the civil defense concept was first commissioned by a Reichstag committee in 2012. The 69-page report says that an attack by conventional military forces – the main focus of German defense policies during the cold war — as likely. 

It also emphasizes the need for a reliable public alert and notification system, better structural protection of buildings and bridges, and the need to bolster the capacity and resilience of the German health system.

Germany’s defense minister earlier this month said Germany was in the “crosshairs of terrorism,” calling for greater cooperation between the military and police in preparation for potential large-scale terrorist attacks.