Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino has issued an urgent warning to Americans as governments around the world begin urging households to prepare for a possible crisis.
Bongino, who left the bureau in January, said the public should follow guidance from the UK and other European governments by maintaining up to 30 days of emergency supplies, including food and backup power.
“Have yourself an emergency radio, have yourself some batteries, get yourself some emergency food, get yourself a rain collection and water filtration, some filtration tablets,” he said on Monday.
“Get your stuff today. Please. Do it for your family,” Bongino added.
Authorities in the UK, Sweden, Germany, Ireland, the Netherlands and France have encouraged residents to keep food, drinking water, medicines and other essential items at home in case of an emergency.
Updated UK guidance issued this month advises households to keep enough supplies to last three days. The measures are intended to help families manage if severe weather, cyberattacks or other disruptions affect essential services.
Bongino said preparing ahead of time could ease anxiety and help prevent families from being left without basic necessities when a crisis occurs.
“There’s nothing wrong with being prepared. It’s not panicking or anything like that,” he said.
Countries across Europe have warned residents to store emergency food and water in preparation for a potential crisis (Stock Image)
Former FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino is urging Americans to stockpile supplies in case of a potential disaster
The former FBI chief, Secret Service agent and police officer said the US military was already preparing for a possible crisis that could disrupt access to food, water and emergency supplies. He argued that civilians should take similar precautions.
Bongino’s warning came just hours after details of FORTRESS emerged. The plan is designed to keep US forces operating and military bases supplied for at least 90 days, even if civilian infrastructure fails.
‘The Pentagon’s doing its job to keep our national security safe and make “Fortress America.” You have to make “Fortress my house,” “Fortress my apartment.” Please, do it for everyone. Your neighbors are not going to have any extra food,’ he added on his podcast.
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The Pentagon’s emergency planning comes as several European countries issue urgent appeals for households to build up supplies for a potential disaster, although the warnings have not specified what emergency could occur.
Bongino, 51, said that “panic kills” and that the most effective way to limit the impact of a disaster was to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
“I was not in the military. I haven’t been in combat but ask your heroes who have been. They will tell you: you can’t panic,” Bongino said.
The FORTRESS plan calls for portable nuclear reactors, large battery systems and independent local power grids to keep US military bases operating during blackouts.
Civilian factories would also be able to shift to defense production, supported by stockpiles of ammunition, fuel, critical minerals, electronics, spare parts and medical supplies.
Every major military base in the continental US is expected to preserve essential operations, including independent access to electricity, water, fuel and communications for 90 days
British officials have launched the Be Ready campaign, encouraging the public to prepare for a potential disaster by storing essential supplies
For critical military requirements, the plan would require at least two approved supply or production options, reducing the risk that the loss of a single supplier could disrupt operations.
Pentagon chief spokesperson Sean Parnell told Fox News: ‘We don’t want to rely on standard civilian municipal infrastructure to run our national defense.’
The warnings from Bongino and the Pentagon came after boiling tensions across Europe devolved into mass civil unrest, with riots and protests breaking out in Paris, Rome, Milan, Barcelona, and Albania’s capital of Tirana.
In the UK, government officials launched its ‘Be Ready’ campaign on October 22, urging households to keep multiple days’ worth of essentials in case a crisis temporarily disrupts everyday services.
In Sweden, the country’s civil defense guidance is warning households to be able to manage on their own for at least one week ‘in case of crisis or war.’
‘The state of the world has worsened drastically in recent years. War is being waged in our vicinity. Extreme weather events are becoming increasingly common. Terror threats, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns are being used to undermine and influence us,’ the bulletin stated.
