The electricity blackout on Monday 28 April left all of Spain, Portugal and part of France without power. From 12:33 pm, the country entered into an unprecedented emergency situation, at least of such a caliber. Spaniards were cut off from communication, phone calls did not work and Internet networks were down almost entirely, including mobile data. Public transport, such as the Metro, collapsed (and is still having problems this Tuesday) and there were also incidents with flights at Barajas airport that persist, although to a lesser extent.
In view of this situation, food and grocery stores were crowded in search of different items. The most prized: battery-powered radios or transistor radios and non-perishable foodstuffs. Precisely these two products are part of the emergency kit that the EU urged every household to have in case of a possible crisis. Below we present them, including their price:
These are the items in the EU survival kit.
*The average reference prices have been revised on Amazon.
- Glasses: for those with vision problems.
- Personal documentation in a waterproof folder: ID card, passport, driver’s license and other key identification documents.
- Flashlight (11,99 €): essential in moments of darkness such as the blackout that took place in Spain.
- Matches (8,99 € a pack of six): to light candles and illuminate rooms.
- Lighter (€1.83): to light and light other objects.
- Bottled water, minimum 5 liters per person (0.75 €): the more bottles you have, the better. You never know how long you will be without supplies.
- Swiss army knife or utility knife (13.99 €): the most complete ones have 18 tools in one piece.
- Medication: it is important to stock up on the medicines that each person needs.
- Iodine tablets: medication that aims to protect the thyroid gland from the absorption of radioactive iodine. They reduce the risk of thyroid cancer in the event of a nuclear accident. They would be provided by the authorities.
- Non-perishable food that does not need to be cooked: in this sense, canned food is the star product. Price six cans of tuna: €8.39; six cans of fabada, €15.30; five cans of sardines, €13.80.
- A stove or portable stove and bottled gas (38 €): the main alternative for cooking.
- Fuel: if gas stations close, as was the case during the blackout in Spain, it is better to have fuel stored on hand for the car or for energy needs. Price of an approved 2-liter can of fuel: 20 €. Price of two liters of gasoline: €3.08.
- Cash: as happened during the blackout in Spain, Portugal and part of France, bank ATMs were inoperative. Consequently, it is very necessary to always have cash on you or at home.
- A battery-operated radio (16.98 €): on Monday, April 28, it was the only means of communication that worked without interruption in Spain. This fact speaks of its importance in crisis situations.
- Spare cell phone battery (19.99 €): without electricity, the phone battery has a short life. Having a spare with an external power bank is critical.
- First aid kit (24,95 €): a first aid kit as complete as possible.
- Adhesive tape (2,69 €).
- A fire extinguisher (36,90 €).
- Hygiene items: from toilet paper to anything else you might need. Price of 36 rolls of toilet paper: 14,24 €.
Leaving aside the items that a citizen needs, such as glasses, documentation, medication and cash, the total sum of the remaining 14 products has a total cost of 260.78 euros.