Only 49% of EU citizens feel well‑informed about disaster risks, and 68% do not consider themselves prepared for emergencies. This lack of readiness is critical within vulnerable groups like the elderly and people with disabilities. To address this gap, I propose the creation of a European Citizen Preparedness Programme. This voluntary, community‑based programme would equip residents with essential disaster response skills, including first aid, evacuation procedures, emergency kit maintenance, and basic awareness of cyber threats.

It would be organised at the neighbourhood level and adapted to the different risks faced by each region such as preparing for wildfires in southern Europe, for floods in central areas, and geopolitical threat awareness near EU borders. It would shift preparedness from an individual responsibility to a collective one, involving local authorities, schools, businesses, and civil society organisations. Pairing trained community volunteers directly with vulnerable citizens would ensure that support networks exist before a crisis occurs.

Implementation could start with small-scale trials financed by existing EU programmes, like UCMP for coordination, and Erasmus+ for training. These trials would cooperate with national civil protection authorities and be evaluated through yearly community drills. The final aim is to make preparedness a part of everyday life, turning it into a permanent feature of European communities and not just a crisis reaction.