In order to strengthen the security of Latvia and its people, a comprehensive national defence system has been developed in Latvia since 2016, with an emphasis on the responsibility of every citizen during a crisis situation. The purpose of the comprehensive national defence system is to educate the people of Latvia on how to act in the event of a crisis and how to strengthen their preparedness today.

The Ministry of Defence together with responsible institutions has created a booklet ''How to deal with a crisis''. The symbol of the booklet is the internationally recognized standard "72 hours". This is a period during which every inhabitant of Latvia should be able to take care of themselves, thus allowing the responsible services to provide further assistance where it is most needed in the first days of the crisis.

Therefore, in order to introduce the booklet to as many Latvians as possible and provide useful information, the Ministry of Defence encourages every interested individual to become a 72-hour messenger by placing the booklet and its promotional materials on their websites and sharing their social network profiles.

The news portal Sargs.lv contain a special section where all the information and materials about the necessary actions in case of a crisis situation can be found, including a readable booklet that can be downloaded.

If you have any questions, please contact us 72stundas@mod.gov.lv 69335219

When publishing the booklet and sharing information on social media accounts, we invite you to use the following hashtags: #safetoknow, #72hours, #72hmessenger, #drošiirzināt, #72stundas, #72hvēstnesis

By strengthening our own readiness, we strengthen the security of the whole society and the state!

In today's world, the crisis may come unexpectedly. It can happen in form of natural disasters, electric blackouts, etc. and different threats can create a chain reaction that can disturb the ordinary pace of everyday life - shops may stop working, payment cards may not be available, water or heat may be limited. In this situation, the contribution of each citizen to the crisis is essential.

On June 3, 2020, the Ministry of Defence presented a booklet ''How to Deal with a Crisis'' to facilitate the society's preparedness for a possible crisis. The booklet contains key information on how to prepare for a potential crisis and where to go for help and information. The booklet also contains a variety of valuable tips, such as what to put in an emergency bag, what medicines you need at home, and what to discuss with your family today to keep them safe.

In 2022, a revised version of the booklet ''How to deal with a crisis'' was released, containing practical information how to enhance security in different crisis situations. The booklet includes information how to deal with disinformation and provide support for national defence institutions. Similarly, information about actions and protection measures in case of artillery or aviation attacks, chemical or nuclear attacks is included in the newest version of the booklet.

In order to reach every inhabitant of Latvia, the booklet has been prepared in three languages - Latvian, English and Russian.

In co-operation with the Ministry of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Culture and the main organizations of the Latvian diaspora, a booklet on “How to act in case of a crisis if living outside Latvia” was prepared in 2022. The booklet contains information on how to act in the first 72 hours of the crisis, as well as how to find out what is happening in Latvia and how to support Latvia in overcoming the crisis or military threat while living abroad.