What do you do if you are without electricity or drinking water for three days?
Safety Region South Limburg, together with the sixteen South Limburg municipalities, is launching a regional campaign to help residents prepare for this. With three steps, you can stay safe for 72 hours on your own. The campaign ties in with the national campaign Think Ahead.
Due to factors such as climate change, pressure on the power grid, and geopolitical tensions, the likelihood of prolonged outages is increasing. In such situations, emergency services are often overloaded. Those who can take care of themselves for 72 hours not only help themselves but also free up resources for people who need urgent assistance the most.
Léon Houben, Director of Safety Region South Limburg and Fire Chief of South Limburg:
“A major power outage may seem unthinkable, but it could happen tomorrow. We prepare for this internally, so that our emergency response can continue. But it is very important that residents prepare as well, so they can help themselves and their loved ones.”
Prepare in Three Steps
Getting ready for an emergency is not difficult. With three simple steps, you can take control when a crisis occurs:
- Assemble an emergency kit.
Make sure you can safely stay at home for 72 hours with enough water, non-perishable food, lighting, a charged power bank, a first-aid kit, cash, warm blankets, and copies of important documents. - Make an emergency plan.
Agree at home on what to do in emergencies: where important items are kept, who takes care of whom, where to meet, and how to stay in contact. - Talk about it.
Share with neighbors, friends, or family that you are prepared, and ask if they are too. Together you are stronger.
Campaign ‘Stay Safe for 72 Hours in Emergencies’
Thinking ahead and preparing—that’s what it’s about. Make sure you can stay safe for 72 hours in emergencies. In the coming months, the municipalities and Safety Region South Limburg will highlight this widely. Residents of South Limburg will encounter the campaign everywhere: in local newspapers, on social media, via flyers, posters, in the streets, at events, on the radio…. This way, residents receive accessible information and concrete tips to prepare well.
Hans Verheijen, Mayor of Sittard-Geleen and Chair of the Administrative Advisory Committee on Crisis Management & Disaster Response of Safety Region South Limburg:
“The Safety Region keeps emergency services operational, even during power outages. We call on you as a resident to prepare as well, so that you remain safe at home. This is not difficult, but it is necessary. You may already have many emergency items in your home—check to be sure. And download the Zuidlimburgveilig app for important information and tips.”
Download the Zuidlimburgveilig App for Incidents
The Zuidlimburgveilig app can be vital in a disaster or crisis.
Through this app from Safety Region South Limburg, you receive direct notifications and advice about incidents in your area. For example: if a nearby fire produces a lot of smoke, the app immediately tells you whether to close your windows and doors.
Use the app in emergencies as well
Even during prolonged power outages, flooding, or other crises, you will find practical tips on how to protect yourself and your family, both before and during an emergency.
A big advantage: the information on the Stay Safe for 72 Hours page and all the “What to Do in Case of” pages remains available offline once you’ve installed the app.
Even if the power goes out or the mobile network fails, you can still read the information—so long as your device has enough battery.
Download the app in advance and set your notification preferences. Visit ‘Blijf 72 uur veilig’ page and learn how you can prepare. What you do today makes us stronger tomorrow.
Translated to English from: https://nl.communications-unlimited.nl/veiligheidsregio-en-gemeenten-starten-campagne-blijf-72-uur-veilig-bij-noodsituaties/
