Dutch Government Issues Nationwide Emergency Preparedness Pamphlet

Residents across the Netherlands are receiving a new government-issued booklet urging them to prepare for major emergencies that could disrupt daily life for several days. The pamphlet, titled “Prepare for an emergency situation,” has been produced by the National Coordinator for Counterterrorism and Security (NCTV) and is being distributed to households nationwide.

The document advises citizens to be ready to support themselves for at least 72 hours in the event of a large-scale crisis. Scenarios cited include prolonged power outages, cyberattacks, sabotage of critical infrastructure, extreme weather events, and disruptions linked to armed conflict.

In unusually direct language, the booklet states that the Netherlands is “not at war, but not at peace either,” pointing to heightened geopolitical instability and conflicts close to Europe, including the war in Ukraine. It warns that in a serious emergency, essential services such as electricity, drinking water, internet access, banking systems, transport, and communications could fail simultaneously.

According to the guidance, emergency services may not be able to reach everyone immediately during the first days of a crisis. As a result, individuals and households are expected to take responsibility for their own safety and basic needs in the initial phase.

The NCTV instructs residents to keep emergency supplies at home, including:

• Drinking water (three litres per person per day)

• Non-perishable food

• Cash

• Battery-powered or hand-crank radios

• Power banks

• Important documents stored on paper

Citizens are also encouraged to discuss emergency plans with family members, neighbours, and local communities, reinforcing the importance of social cohesion during crises.

While the booklet repeatedly stresses resilience, solidarity, and collective responsibility, its message is clear: the government is preparing the population for the possibility of large-scale, systemic disruption that could overwhelm normal response mechanisms.

Similar preparedness campaigns have been launched or expanded in other European countries in recent years, often framed around climate risks, cyber threats, and security concerns. The timing of the Dutch initiative is likely to raise questions among the public about what scenarios authorities consider plausible—and why officials believe now is the moment to formally prepare the population for extended self-reliance.

For now, the government maintains that the guidance is precautionary rather than alarmist. Still, the nationwide distribution of the booklet marks a notable shift in how emergency preparedness is being communicated to the public in the Netherlands.