The Austrian Defence Minister, Klaudia Tanner, has warned of possible power outages to come. There is a high possibility of an electrical blackout that will affect services such as computers, mobile phones, and electricity supplies in homes. The blackout could spread from Austria and throughout Europe.

Klaudia Tanner suggested that the question was not whether, but “when it will be”. She has also stated that this danger is “underestimated by all” when it could have catastrophic consequences.

The Austrian government has decided to launch an awareness campaign that will run throughout the month in the media, on thousands of posters and minister also wants to promote it on her social networks.

With a campaign slogan “What to do when everything stops” to raise awareness about measures the public can take when a blackout occurs. There is advice about buying enough food for several days, fuel, candles, batteries, and plenty of drinking water, is given. Also to agree on a meeting point with family and friends and try to collaborate with the neighbors as much as possible it says.

This blackout can cause  the following to fail.

• Traffic lights
• ATMs
• telephones
• internet

Austria has already put a plan in motion that by 2025 all its barracks will be self-sufficient. The barracks would be a support base for firefighters, health workers, and other organisations and from 2025 there should be sufficient barracks in all the federal states to guarantee the Army’s response in the event of a blackouts the Armed Forces can supply and support other emergency organisations.

According to the media, it is not the first time that the Austrian army has got a prediction right. In 2017 they spoke of a possible pandemic that would paralyse the world in the next decade, something that ended up coming true, as reported by 20minutos.es.

Euro Weekly news source

To find out what else can fail in a power outage, refer to the book ‘Everyday Carry Preparedness’, Chapter 10, Home Preparedness.