Do you have a battery-operated radio, a physical map and two to three litres of water for every person in your household to hand?
These are some of the new recommendations in the Be Emergency Ready booklets, which are being distributed by the Department of Defence.
From Monday, September 21st, 2.2 million Be Emergency Ready booklets will be delivered to households in Ireland by An Post.
The Department said the need to support members of the population to prepare for emergencies has been influenced by events like Storm Éowyn, which left 768,000 households without power in January 2025.
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Some householders already received booklets on Wednesday, as part of the EU-wide initiative to promote “societal resilience and public preparedness” in the face of geopolitical tensions, cybersecurity and information manipulation risks, and climate change.
The Irish booklets involve three steps, telling citizens to be aware of potential risks, to make a plan to maintain essential supplies, and to stay connected with family, neighbours and trusted sources of information.
As well as the steps, the 17-page document contains tips, checklists and a fill-out-and-keep card of important phone numbers and locations.
The advice in the booklet also includes suggestions on items needed to stay warm, including blankets, sleeping bags and emergency thermal blankets; while closing windows, doors and staying in one room for heat is also advised.
The document also advises retaining a steady source of light, such as a torch or lamp with spare batteries, and keeping matches or a lighter in a safe place.
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While the handbook advises individuals to take their mobile phones and chargers in case of an evacuation as well as keeping a powerbank on hand, there is an emphasis on analogue items.
Households are advised to have physical maps and to keep documents such as birth certificates, passports, driving licences, insurance details, medical information and written-down details of emergency contacts in a waterproof bag.
Another low-tech item recommended for households is a battery-operated or wind-up powered radio to stay up-to-date with local radio stations in case of emergency conditions.
To maintain a stable food and water supply, it’s suggested that households keep a supply of non-perishable food to hand which is regularly rotated so nothing goes past its expiry date, and to use fresh food first in an emergency.
It also recommends that dietary requirements of everyone in the household be considered, such as having extra pet food and baby formula on hand.
Speaking at the launch of the Be Emergency Ready booklet last month, Minister Helen McEntee said: “I encourage everyone to take the time to read the booklet when it arrives, work through the checklist, complete the important information section and keep it somewhere easy to find. A small amount of preparation today can make a significant difference tomorrow.”
The new document forms part of the European Commission’s EU preparedness strategy which was launched in March 2025 and encouraged governments to develop guidelines for citizens to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours in case of an emergency.
The commission cited Russia’s war on Ukraine, rising geopolitical tensions, state-sponsored hybrid and cyberattacks, sabotage targeting critical assets, foreign information manipulation and interference and electronic warfare as potential threats to Europe.
How does Ireland’s document line up in comparison to our European peers? In short, it is a bit sparse.
On the Finnish Government’s website, citizens can choose from 19 different possible types of emergencies including disruption in payments systems, epidemics and pandemics, forest fires and military conflicts and civil defence.
The detailed documentation provided by the Finnish government not only specifies the types of crises, but also includes information on “personal coping”, telling individuals to hold on to their routines and everyday matters as far as possible and to give priorities to their loved ones’ basic needs.
Neighbouring country Sweden also has a more detailed pamphlet, at 32 pages in comparison to Ireland’s 17. Sweden’s documentation includes information on how to talk to children about crises and war, telling adults to only tell children verified information and to avoid unnecessary details.
The document also details different siren sounds, disinformation campaigns, wartime service and advises people to have enough cash put by to survive for a week.
Countries further from the Russian border have adopted a similar tack to Ireland, with the Belgian Government’s booklet sitting at 13 pages and also including a fill-out section on important phone numbers, the location where a family’s emergency plan can be found and their emergency kit.
