Ministry of Defence launches public crisis response awareness campaign

Ministry of Defence is launching a public awareness raising campaign to educate the public on how to respond to a crisis based on emergency response leaflet ‘How to act in case of emergency’. Aim of the campaign is to urge residents of Latvia to consider what they need to do to be ready to face any unexpected emergency. Campaign is designed to educate the public on how to cope with emergency during the first 72 hours. 

Leaflet offers every resident of Latvia essential practical guidance on how to prepare yourself and your near and dear ones for all kinds of potential emergencies. Information contained in the leaflet gives clear instructions on how to handle all kinds of emergencies, such as storms, floods, power or internet outages, military or cyber threats. 

A youngster, expert Calmly, is the main character of the campaign. His mission is to urge everyone to remain calm and explain everyone, irrespective of age, what they need to know about emergencies and how to act in case of emergency to help yourself and others around you. 

‘Any crisis is a test of our ability to take care of ourselves and our near and dear ones in a situation when our normal and usual life patterns are disrupted. Moreover, as this year has taught us, you need to prepare for unexpected emergencies well in advance. Our ability to remain calm is the key factor, which determines our response to crisis. And, to stay calm, we need to know how to act. This leaflet gives clear answers to these questions.  Safety of our country starts at home and depends on our individual actions. That is why everyone living in Latvia needs to start thinking about what we need to do right now to not be caught off guard by a potential crisis,’ stressed Defence Minister Artis Pabriks. 

Leaflet is symbolically based on internationally accepted 72-hour (3-day) emergency standards. Population should have the kit ready to survive the 72 hours after the onset of the emergency until help from responsible services arrives. Leaflet provides guidance on how to, for example, assemble the emergency kit, which food products and medicines should be stocked at home, how to distinguish different services that arrive to provide help and restore public order. 

As announced earlier, leaflet is part of the comprehensive national defence strategy, which aims to engage the general public in emergency preparedness and response planning exercises. Leaflet was developed by Ministry of Defence in close conjunction with the State Fire and Rescue Service, Emergency Medical Service, State Police and State Border Force and other stakeholders and non-governmental actors. 

Electronic version of the leaflet is available in three languages. It can be downloaded from defence sector portal Sargs.lv - www.sargs.lv/lv/tema/72stundas. It is also available in Braille and large print.

Media contacts:
Media Relations Section
Military Public Affairs Department
Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Latvia
E-mail: prese@mod.gov.lv
Website: www.mod.gov.lv