A spokesperson for the Treasury Department told the Washington Free Beacon that survival kits being ordered for government workers at every major bank in the United States are for "emergency preparedness."
As the Free Beacon previously reported, the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which conducts on-site reviews of banks throughout the country, is ordering survival kits for each of its employees. The kits include everything from 50 water purification tablets to solar blankets.
Stephanie Collins, a spokesperson for the OCC, told the Free Beacon that the government orders the kits for potential terrorist attacks.
"After September 11, 2001, emergency preparedness was ramped up to include providing simple survival kits throughout the government to employees working in large office buildings or other potential target areas," she said in a statement. "As the solicitation mentioned, the kits must also include a ‘reusable solar blanket’ 52 by 84 inches long, a 2,400-calorie food bar, ‘50 water purification tablets,’ a ‘dust mask,’ ‘one-size fits all poncho with hood,’ a rechargeable lantern with built-in radio, and an ‘Air-Aid emergency mask’ for protection against airborne viruses."
"The solicitation is to replace aging kits and provide kits at additional location out of a preponderance of caution," Collins added.
Once the government finds a bidder, each of OCC’s 3,814 employees will receive a survival kit, which will come in a fanny-pack or backpack that can fit all of the items, including a 33-piece personal first aid kit with "decongestant tablets," a variety of bandages, and medicines.
The Treasury Department extended the deadline for proposals until Dec. 22, and is planning on spending up to $200,000.