Covid-19, War in Ukraine, Global warming, etc. The latest events have a little taste of the end of the world. From the one that encourages some to take survival courses in the great outdoors or to build a bunker under their garden in the event of nuclear war. On social networks, many Internet users say they are preparing for all disasters, convinced that the worst is coming soon.
This Thursday, their convictions were reinforced by publications warning about government communications, relayed by the prefectures, on the need for citizens to prepare an emergency kit.
Since all the hypotheses are going well, some evoking a nuclear war, a biochemical attack, etc. This is without counting that the publications are accompanied by a link leading to a government page entitled “prepare your emergency kit”. This page lists all the good advice to follow in the event of an emergency. From the construction of a neighborhood emergency plan, to the preparation of a bag including all the necessary (medicine, food, etc.) everything is there. So should we really be alarmed? For you, 20 minutes make the point.
FAKE OFF
20 minutes has contacted a dozen prefectures across France and their response is almost unanimous: they have not received any communication of this type from the government. In Saint-Brieuc, (Côtes-d’Armor), people are surprised by this rumour: “We receive dozens of communications and directives every month from the government information service (GIS), but we have never heard of such a request. »
The SIG, created in 2000, depends on Matignon and its mission is to inform the general public of the action of the Prime Minister and the government. It is also responsible for piloting and coordinating government communication at interministerial level, as its name suggests. Reached by phone by 20 minutes, the GIS confirms the response of the prefectures: “No mobilization on communication around the emergency kit has ever been requested. »
So internet users simply bounced on the recommendations sent by the Minister of Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu, who was traveling this Tuesday in Aude. The department is in the grip of a high risk of flooding and the minister has called on residents to prepare a survival kit in case of emergency. And in Haute-Savoie, a department subject to forest fires and placed on storm alert several times in recent days, the prefecture posted on its Twitter account a reminder of the need to have this kit, ready and on hand. .
An emergency kit to always have at home
This emergency kit does exist, and the internet page which corresponds to it is indeed hosted by the site of the government.fr. The advice given here is not specific to any disaster, but lists things to have in case of an emergency.
A quick search in the Web archives, however, reveals that the page was created and put online on July 21, 2016, long before the publications of Internet users, the prefecture of Haute-Savoie or the declaration of Christophe Béchu .
Still, the government reminds us that it is relevant to prepare a survival kit and always have it ready at home. He also advises to remember the instructions to be applied in case of emergency.