PostedAugust 20, 2022, 4:06 PM
SecurityThere could be looting if there is a power shortage
The president of the Conference of cantonal directors of justice and police believes that security has been forgotten in the discussions on the shortage. He imagines extreme scenarios.
The president of the CCDJP, Fredy Fässler, here last March.
20 minutes/Simon Glauser
The Confederation is working hard to deal with the threat of energy shortage which awaits Switzerland this winter. But she forgot the question of the safety of the population if the electricity were to fail, criticizes Fredy Fässler, president of the Conference of directors and directors of the cantonal departments of justice and police (CCDJP), in an interview granted to Blick on Saturday. .
He explains: “A network cut or a blackout would have significant consequences. Imagine: you can no longer withdraw money at the ATM, you can no longer pay by card in a store or fill up at the gas station. And all the heaters no longer work. It is cold. The streets are plunged into darkness,” he says.
Risk of looting, even fire
As a result, he is considering very seriously that the population rebels, or that there is looting at night. “We have already seen during ecological disasters that some people stole objects that were no longer protected, in stores in particular”. Firefighters would also be on high alert: “Imagine what can happen if someone starts a fire on their balcony because they are cold. Such a situation can quickly spiral out of control,” stresses Fredy Fässler.
Security aspects that Bern has neglected so far according to him. As a result, he believes that Switzerland must prepare for such extreme scenarios, even if he does not expect this to really happen.
Gaps filled
The President of the CCDJP recalls that in 2014 already, a major security exercise in the face of a potential blackout had been carried out, in collaboration with all the security forces. “We then discovered major shortcomings, such as the absence of emergency generators for the police, hospitals and other critical infrastructure. These gaps have been filled in recent years,” he reassures.
But the cantons are now demanding to be more integrated in the questions of prevention and security, he underlines. The secretary general of the CCDJP and the president of the directors of police will sit in particular on the federal staff for the protection of the population. “We will thus be able to directly express the concerns and fears of the cantons in terms of security”.
Provide 300 francs of emergency cash at home, according to the banks
According to the president of the Conference of Directors of Cantonal Departments of Justice and Police (CCDJP) Fredy Fässler, Switzerland is also prepared to make cash available to people if it is no longer possible to pay. by card in stores. “Our staff has agreed with the banks on how to handle such an emergency so that citizens can get cash,” he said.
Words confirmed by the Swiss Banking Association on Saturday, also in the newspapers of CH Media this time. “Banks do everything to ensure that customers’ money is safe and accessible at all times,” said spokesman Robert Reinecke. He nevertheless affirms that in the event of an “extraordinary situation”, it is recommended to have an emergency cash reserve of 300 francs in small denominations.
The Confederation also advises having a reserve of cash at home.
(cht)