Germany Wants Citizens to Stockpile Food

Country is reviving Cold War-era requirement
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Aug 22, 2016 4:05 AM CDT
Germany Wants Citizens to Stockpile Food
Protesters hold German flags during a recent demonstration in Berlin.   (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

Germany doesn't want its citizens to panic—but it would like them to be a little more prepared for an attack or a disaster. According to a report in the Frankfurter Allgemeine Sonntagszeitung, the German government plans to bring back its Cold War-era requirement for people to stockpile enough food for 10 days and enough drinking water for five, as well as medicine and other supplies. The government is also planning to boost security by bringing in a nationwide alarm system.

A "Concept for Civil Defense" plan that will be discussed by lawmakers this week says an armed invasion of German territory is unlikely, but that citizens should "prepare appropriately for a development that could threaten our existence and cannot be categorically ruled out in the future." Reuters notes that the new civil defense plan comes amid other security measures, including major increases in police funding and the creation of a new anti-terror unit. (More Germany stories.)

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