Survival manual to be sent to every French household by this summer

In an uncertain international context, the French government is preparing to distribute a survival booklet to all households…

The French government is preparing to send some literature to every household this summer.

A new tome for the annual “A book for the holidays” campaign? How delightful.

Well, not so wholesome or cheery as it turns out, as the literature in question is a twenty-page survival manual which details the steps to take in the event of an armed conflict or any crisis.

Modelled on a similar Norwegian booklet and the Swedish model, “Om krisen eller kriget kommer” (“In case of crisis or war”), which was distributed to households in 2018, the booklet will detail “all the good gestures to adopt in the event of an imminent threat in France”, a government source told Europe 1.

These threats include armed conflict, as well as natural disasters such as flooding or a new health epidemic.

The publication is reportedly divided into three distinct parts:

‘Protecting yourself’ – a section intended to raise solidarity when it comes to protecting oneself and neighbours. This first part also lists the survival kit to have at home in the event of a serious crisis. The kit includes at least six litres of bottled water, ten canned goods, batteries and a flashlight in case of a power cut.
‘What to do in the event of an alert’ – a part detailing the actions one must take in the event of an imminent threat. This chapter lists emergency numbers, radio frequencies, as well as tips like closing all doors in the event of a nuclear accident.
‘Get involved’ – this final section explains how to sign up to a reserve force, whether military or communal.

“This document aims to ensure the resilience of populations in the face of all types of crises, whether natural, technological, cyber, or security-related,” according to a statement from the government. “This draft document, whose conditions for distribution to the French public have not yet been defined, is currently being approved by the Prime Minister.”

The title also has not been defined, and sources say that the two main options are: “French Resilience” or “All Resilient”.

As you can imagine, the announcement of the distribution of a survival manual has sparked criticism online, with many calling it a waste of money, some likening it to Cold War brochures, and others writing: “Stop creating a climate of fear and anxiety.”

Indeed, while hardly surprising in the wake of President Emmanuel Macron’s March 5 speech, in which he declared that the threat of armed conflict with Russia concerned all European countries and called for strengthening the continent’s defenses, a survival booklet doesn’t exactly smack of reassurance.

However, as indicated by the General Secretariat for Defense and National Security (SGDSN), this guide is an integral part of the national resilience strategy, initiated after the Covid-19 pandemic – and therefore predates the start of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Still, until the pamphlet arrives in letterboxes, let’s just hope the advice goes beyond ‘close your doors in case of a nuclear blast’. Anxiety-inducing is one thing, but thinking that closed doors are going to prevent… well, anything… or that people would rush to crack open a window in order to take in as much of the nuclear mushroom as possible is insulting.

Hell of a sunrise, though.

Also, no mention of what to do in case of a zombie apocalypse…