Sheinbaum Says No Danger Behind Mexico City Emergency Backpack Post
Sheinbaum says Mexico faces no known danger after a Mexico City emergency backpack post set off rumors. Here is what Cenapred says to pack.
President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday, Nov. 10, that the federal government has no information pointing to a threat to Mexico. She was responding to a question at her daily morning press conference, known as the “mañanera,” about a civil protection call to keep an emergency backpack ready, which had set off worried talk online.
Sheinbaum said there is no international or national situation that calls for a specific alert, according to the financial daily El Financiero. She added that people living in areas prone to earthquakes, floods or hurricanes should have the backpack prepared regardless.
How a safety reminder turned into apocalypse talk
The rumors began with a post from Mexico City’s Secretariat of Comprehensive Risk Management and Civil Protection (Secretaría de Gestión Integral de Riesgos y Protección Civil de la CDMX). The post asked residents whether they already had their emergency backpack ready.
Some social media users read the message as a sign of a possible Third World War. Others joked about what they would pack to get through an apocalypse, such as instant noodle cups or large bottles of beer.
The National Civil Protection Coordination (Coordinación Nacional de Protección Civil) then stepped in. It said the backpack message belongs to a permanent campaign and is not a warning about the end of the world.
What the national disaster agency says to pack
According to the National Center for Disaster Prevention (Cenapred), a backpack should hold items that cover basic needs in a risky situation. The recommended list, as El Financiero reported it, includes:
- Drinking water and non-perishable food that is easy to carry and eat.
- A flashlight and batteries, for power outages.
- A portable radio that works without internet.
- A first-aid kit and personal medication.
- Important documents, as paper copies or digital backups.
- Cash and spare keys to the home.
- Warm clothing, a raincoat and extra shoes.
- A whistle to call for help if someone is trapped.
What this means for residents
For people in Mexico City, the exchange separates two things that got mixed together online. The backpack reminder is a standing preparedness message from civil protection authorities, and the federal government says it has no information about a danger that would require a special alert.
The president’s own wording keeps the preparedness message in place. She said that residents of areas where earthquakes, floods or hurricanes are possible should keep the backpack ready.
Readers who see similar posts from official accounts can check them against statements from the National Civil Protection Coordination, which has described the backpack message as a continuing campaign. In her remarks on Nov. 10, Sheinbaum said the government has “no information” of any danger requiring a specific alert, according to El Financiero.
Source: El Financiero
