Author Archives: Monika

About Monika

@MonikaAlMufti, co-founder EVAQ8.co.uk |originally Swiss, forever exploring our glorious planet, loving nature and the diversity of cultures; oh - and obviously passionate about Resilience - Emergency and Disaster Preparedness

The Grab Bag Debate: just how effective are Go Bags and Emergency Kits?

The short answer is: that depends on exactly what you mean by ‘effective’ and whether or not you differentiate Go Bags / Grab bags (evacuation) and disaster/emergency preparedness kits (shelter-in-place) – hint: you’ll want both, see why. But that answer is neither satisfying nor fun so let’s get stuck in just a little deeper for it’s actually a very good question and one I love to explore.

Welcome to this ‘special edition’ blog post for the 5th anniversary of the #30days30waysUK ‘September is Preparedness Month’ campaign.

Today is day 8 and yes, you’ve guessed it – the topic is Grab Bag! 🙂

 

So,  after this teaser visual ‘Grab Bags around the world’, let’s get right into the thick of the arguments with a quick summary of some of the most often discussed contentions:

 

Grab Bag – it’s a myth 

Nay-sayers tend to put forward any or all of the following handful of main critiques when debating the effectiveness of grab bags (72 hours or otherwise):

  1. 72 hour grab bags are outdated, ‘dinosaurish’, a remnant from the cold war days, especially in resource-rich environments (such as the UK)
  2. no consensus, range from 72 hour to 2 weeks self-sufficiency, items disputed
  3. inapplicable or out of reach for the most vulnerable in society
  4. no scientific evidence that grab bags / disaster kits save lives
  5. a bad metric to measure actual personal or household preparedness

… so let’s take a closer look at these in turn.

Grab Bag – it’s a reality

The United Nations Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction 2015-2030 advocates an inclusive, all-of-society approach that recognises the importance of engagement in preparedness activities at all levels.

Household preparedness is one of the most fundamental components and a typical recommendation is for self-sufficiency during and after a disaster for at least three days. This varies, however, depending not only on where in the world you are but also your specific circumstances.

In an emergency or disaster, what usually is a ‘resource-rich’ environment may suffer quite badly quite quickly and response times of the emergency services may lag – sometimes considerably. Now what exactly ‘resource rich’ means also varies tremendously. Are we talking people as resources and/or ‘stuff’ as resources? For example, in the context of access to food, are we talking towns that have lots of shops full of produce or a rural village where food can be picked from the ground or bushes? Both may be impacted substantially in a major flood, extensive fires, earthquakes or severe storms.

Hawaii recently recognised this much more fully, recommending its population to aim for 2 weeks self-sufficiency:

 

Just as it is, in my view, nonsensical to assign a ‘standard’ time frame for a Grab Bag, Emergency Kit, Disaster Preparedness Kit, Emergency Preparedness Kit or simply Ready Kit as the varied terminology goes, so it makes little sense to try and standardise exact contents. People have different individual needs and preferences that are highly context dependent and change over time. Rather, it would make sense to perhaps look at ‘core areas’ that kit contents should cover. Somewhat tongue in cheek I’ve written about this earlier, I suggested five grab bag items categories, namely food & food preparation (which includes water purification), tools & personal protective items, shelter and warmth, light and communication, first aid and hygiene (more on this in a minute).

So, to refute myth 1 & 2: Grab Bags are neither ‘dinausaurish’ nor confusing. Quite the contrary: there is current international recognition for household preparedness and a ‘lack of  standards’ is a strength, able to accommodate local and personal needs that change over time.

Myth 3 on ‘out of reach of the most vulnerable’ in a UK context may apply to the extremely marginalised or those with special needs. Thankfully here, there are priority registers yet challenges undoubtedly remain (see ‘food for thought’ at the very end).

Preparing a grab bag / emergency supplies does incur some costs yet should be achievable even at minimal budget. Again, it is context dependent and highly personal. In the event of a sudden evacuation, UK authorities will provide basic shelter arrangements. Community resilience can be strong as recent events in Whaley Bridge show: many of the 1000+ evacuees were taken in by friends or family, found alternatives themselves while 40 people were comfortably accommodated (local news, Buxton Advertisier)  Clearly a Grab Bag for a High Peak resident looks different than in other parts of the world or indeed the UK.

As to lack of scientific evidence, it is true: quality studies providing empirical evidence are super hard to come by (if you find one let me know!).

How do we prove that grab bags save lives?

Correlation is not causation, yet absence of evidence is also not evidence of absence. There is a lot of ‘anecdotal evidence’, like the blog series here on the Yorkshire Model in a community preparedness/resilience context, captured in after-action reports of emergency managers and even in a recent USAID article where a woman during the deadly Nepal earthquake used a grab bag and discusses how the items helped her family survive (see above).

Grab Bags as a bad metric to ‘measure’ preparedness? Well, it’s been done and that’s lazy science because one thing is for certain: having a Grab Bag does not simply equate preparedness in and of itself, especially if you bought a ready-made one and did not personalise it. Personal preparedness is NOT a quick tick box exercise.

However, having a Grab Bag is a good INDICATOR of personal preparedness – one amongst many others (such as always having ½ tank gas/battery in your car, knowing how to shut off your utilities, have working fire alarms etc). Interesting would be to understand what people chose to put into their Grab Bags. Very few studies tackle this but back in 2013 Northamptonshire did a survey:  7.2% of 755 respondents had a Grab Bag which contained a variety of items. If I now break their findings down into the earlier suggested categories, overall this would look like this:

Food and Food Preparation: food (non-specified), chocolate, glucose sweets, cooking equipment, matches, mini gas stove, pet food, water

Tools & personal protective items: torch, spare keys, phone charger, power leads, batteries, toolkit, paper & pencil, maps, penknife, spare mobile phone,

Shelter and warmth: blankets, thermal blankets, sleeping bag, spare clothes

Light and communication: torch, tea lights, photos, copies of insurance & other important documents, emergency plan copy, contacts list

First aid and hygiene: medication, antiseptic cream, bandages, toiletries

Depending where you are the in the world, some Grab Bag categories may be more relevant than others. For example Singapore’s guidelines for a ‘Ready Bag’ only include food and water as optional yet recommend whistles and a N95 face mask as essential items. Indeed, worldwide there exist over 70 different recommended items lists, and counting!

Knowing whether or not Grab Bags exist in a geographical area with what categories of contents begins to provide deeper insight into household preparedness capabilities and capacities, a lack suggesting potential vulnerabilities and perhaps a need for better emergency risk communication.

So, Grab Bag effectiveness –  myth or reality?

I think, and the resources quoted bear me out, there is a very strong case for the effectiveness of Grab Bags, not least of all as a conversation starter to preparedness planning and action whether for 72 hours or two weeks personal preparedness or inspiring communities to resilience.

Which leaves me asking: do you have a Grab Bag? If so, what’s in it? If not, why don’t you have one? Follow today’s conversations and tips across social media under #30days30waysUK and explore for yourself.  Don’t miss day 20 ‘September is Preparedness Month’ 2019 which will further explore ‘Shelter-in-Place’ and will reveal an exciting surprise.

Monika

Resources:

published 8/9/2019

edited 27Jan2020 to add example: EU handing over Grab Bags to Fiji Emergency Planners

 

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Brexit, personal preparedness and why being sensible actually rules the day

This post was originally published 15 January 2019 (re-instated here after a major site upgrade)

Brexit, personal preparedness and why being sensible actually rules the day … and that’s despite considerable media efforts to the contrary. Hello and welcome to another preparedness blog after a long period of quiet. I’ve been repeatedly asked to comment on Brexit and personal preparedness, e.g. this recent exchange on twitter 

https://twitter.com/MonikaAlMufti/status/1075033430277140481

Now, official guidance on personal preparedness has not exactly been forthcoming.

This is a shame and a hugely missed opportunity, one that’s all too easily filled by those willing to exploit the fear and confusion of people such as Lynda, 61 from near Wakefield, quoted by the BBC as saying

“I’m not worried about Brexit, I’m worried about the aftermath”

In yesterday’s article titled Hundreds stock up over food supply fears. A few hours later, to my dismay, this was surpassed by the Guardian upping the ante with I don’t trust the government to look after me and my dog.

Such headlines are but the tip of a highly visible iceberg of months and months worth of articles, blogs, twitter and facebook feeds about Brexit and stockpiling – one gigantic project fear! Once again, as I’ve discussed in the Shelter-in-Place post back in 2016 written as a contribution for the #30days30waysUK campaign, the media hypes the issue without bothering to really look deeper or wider.

Yes, there may be hundreds (according to the BBC) or just a few (as reported in the Guardian) amongst a UK population of nearly 67 million people who are ‘prepping’ and good on them to have a few extra food and medical supplies they absolutely cannot live without for a certain amount of time.

From a personal preparedness point of view, Brexit is hardly on par with a disaster such as major and widespread flooding, an earthquake or an industrial accident which may paralyse or wipe out crucial infrastructure and systems.

I’m thoroughly disappointed once again in how approaches to better personal preparedness are being (mis-) represented, adding to the confusion rather than ameliorating it .

At least the BBC made one attempt at balance by speaking to Prof Tim Benton, an expert in food systems from the University of Leeds, who said he did

not foresee the UK running out of food but believed there could be “situations where we cannot reliably get what we expect to see on the shelves on a daily basis“.

I’ve added emphasis there because in my view this is exactly where the crux of the matter lies: it’s all about expectations.

What exactly is it that we are expecting here with Brexit? What are your assumptions? Just what are you personally preparing for and how?

Yes, there will be some delays and potentially shortages in certain areas for some time but the UK is certainly nowhere near facing a doomsday scenario. Yet, media interest is intense, so much so that for months, EVAQ8 have received continuous enquires from as far as Japan and Denmark, for example this TV2 clip (from 0:45 – yes they had a somewhat increased interest in long-shelf life nutrition products in the greater scheme of things) aired in November.

That’s why EVAQ8 keeps reiterating, e.g:

https://www.facebook.com/evaq8.co.uk/posts/2472271106133392

 

If you feel you must stockpile – whatever exactly that looks like and means to you personally and please (!!) assess your situation rather than jumping on a hyped bandwagon – then take a good look at blog Modern Emergency Food Storage especially if you are short of storage space and explore some of the links from there.

Personally, for many years and irrespective of where I live, a well stocked pantry is simply part of every-day life and not because I was brought up in Switzerland with a ‘bunker’ in the basement and lived in Egypt for many years almost entirely off grid.

If push came to shove, my family here in the UK (including a fussy cat) could probably live off what’s in the cupboard and freezer for about six weeks and that is just normal, irrespective of Brexit. Add to that some self-heating food and a tin or two of long-shelf life nutrition as well as a few other choice ‘prepper’ items if that’s what you want to call a comprehensive first aid kit with additional meds, some water purification products, sleeping bags (we camp) and head torches on top of our GoBags. Interesting then will be the dinner conversations, especially when everyone starts missing their favourite foods and treats; in the UK, we are all so very spoilt for choice often without fully realising it.

What do I expect? Personally, I expect change, to explore some products new to me rather than relying on what I regularly buy in the shops. What I do NOT expect is finding empty shelves for extended periods of time, nor massive power outages, nor drinking water issues, nor civil unrest… especially if everyone, including the media, can stop obsessing and the government steps up with much better public Emergency Risk Communication.

Monika

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Emergency Preparedness matters: heatwave, fire, storm and flooding – summer 2018

It’s been an amazing summer 2018, one that in the UK has been compared to the previous record-setting heatwave in 1976 such as in this BBC article . No matter how you draw the comparison (and the article has some interesting graphs) one change in the intervening 42 years is certain: global average temperatures have risen and this is set to continue.

Heatwaves are becoming more frequent and intense. They trigger serious air pollution alerts and are dangerous to human health. I’m not looking forward to this year’s figures being released but in the 2003 pan-European heatwave there were over 2000 excessive deaths in the UK alone as also mentioned in our UK preparedness awareness video. Public Health England has a useful blog on why some people suffer during heatwaves.    

Heatwaves also connect to fires and this year has been bad all around, terrifyingly illustrated in Wildfires around the world: the photos that explain the flames.

The UK also suffered massively and prevention is more than a fire service issue, research showing that informal local and national  partnerships are key.

Again, it’s about building capabilities and capacities at community and personal level and that starts with being cued in about personal fire safety preparedness. The heat eventually breaks with thunderstorms and torrential rain leading to localised flooding. This year, flooding in Europe was again common and with devastating consequences. A few examples illustrate the danger and devastation from France and my native Switzerland:

Luckily, so far the UK has gotten off relatively lightly – but then we’re only just about half way through August. The exception here is Northern Ireland. Read the next tweet slowly and let that number sink in, for it can happen anywhere with little or no warning

Thankfully, a flood relief scheme was activated for domestic properties but may not reach all affected. Small business are typically not covered either. This is why personal preparedness and insurance are so important. Most people are not adequately covered nor know enough about preparedness.And it is of course at this point I plug our emergency preparedness hub which links to lots of relevant and useful resources for you to check out. Also thankfully and as of 1st July 2018, the Met Office now issues official thunderstorm warnings, a first in its 164 year history! 

Brilliant! Early warning is key of course so make sure you are #weatheraware and tune in regularly. Another excellent way to do this is via the Met Office weather app. In addition you need a low-tech backup such as a trusty wind-up radio which should be standard kit in your emergency grab bag.  Want to know and do more? Then don’t miss this year’s September is Preparedness Month #30days30waysUK campaign.

Have a brilliant rest of August!

Monika

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The Great British Summer, #weatheraware #floodaware and better personal preparedness

May is always a special time in the UK with not one but two Bank Holiday Weekends giving us all some cherished time off. What a stunner they were, quite literally with glorious weather turning nasty quite quickly and in a sense – sadly and tragically for some – going from ‘heaven to hell’ rather fast as I’ve written about earlier in Disaster Preparedness – what Disaster? Why Preparedness?

Did you witness this?

 

Local help was quick and is another excellent showcase for UK Community Resilience, the power of volunteering and how it pays to be kind

… but despite best efforts, tragedy struck

 

Better personal preparedness saves lives and property. This concerns us all as we are experiencing the consequences of living in a world that is 2C or more warmer. Pro-active preparedness is key and there is much that everyone can do including better personal safety and better personal preparedness.  It’s all about personal capacities and capabilities and what that exactly means (what you must plan and prepare for) and looks like is different for every person. However, it all starts the same way for everybody:

GET A KIT. MAKE A PLAN. BE INFORMED.

 

 

This website and blog offers lots of very useful tips so take a good look around and start building your personal preparedness today. Head to our preparedness hub, browse the blog navigation here on the right as well as the top navigation of the website. And remember to follow us on social media for more info, updates and resources.

Summer 2018 is here! Enjoy it and stay safe at home and during your travels. Always stay #weatheraware #floodaware, know about #preparedness and be better prepared.

Monika
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The best 2018 New Year Resolution: update and upgrade your personal preparedness – start with FREE resources

Upgrade_pixabay1672350

Is personal preparedness (home, work, travel) on your New Year’s resolution list? It should be.

Start now, it’s never  too late 🙂

Welcome to 2018 and yet another year of blogs about how to be better prepared and build personal and community preparedness and resilience.

 

 

Looking at the named UK storms 2017/8 and story of the first half of January, we may well need it ….

Last year this blog opened optimistically with Welcome to 2017 – be prepared, not scared highlighting the launch of the citizenAID app and how personal preparedness is being taken much more seriously at all levels. Looking back now, it seems those were good omens. One thing in particular stands out for me:  the 2017 ‘September is Preparedness Month’ campaign was a huge success, a much larger number of organisation and individuals collaborated, reaching audiences right across the United Kingdom (see 30days30waysUK.org.uk and their report ).

September 2017 was special in a another aspect too: that same month, the new UK National Risk Register was released.

 

Even just a cursory glance at the new National Risk Register will quickly reveal that much has changed in the way UK government now communicates about risk, resilience and preparedness. The way I see it, it’s a huge step in the right direction, simplifying and streamlining important messages using language and graphics in really effective ways to alter people’s beliefs about and behaviour towards risks.

Science1 backs this up:

  • poor risk communication can lead to confusion, distrust and potentially fatal outcomes
  • people’s responses to risk are better when risk is communicated visually, across multiple formats…and when communication is personalized
  • people’s perception of risk is shaped by many factors, including the language used to communicate the risk, the type of risk and cultural factors as well as individual attributes such as gender and age

That last aspect, individual attributes, is interesting because research has shown that men have a higher appetite for and tend to underestimate risk as compared to women. However, it’s not that simple and there are mediating factors such as age. To that I would also add ‘previous exposure’ for many who have experienced a major incident, emergency or disaster first hand, tend to re-evaluate their personal preparedness with a much more serious view.  But, sadly, not all and there are Resilience and Preparedness Roadblocks which may affect us all.

With regards to risk perception and appetite, this is an interesting chart borrowed from the Chartered Institute of Internal Auditors. When I saw this it made me think that internal audits despite being business oriented are a good ‘bridge’ and methaphor also for personal audits, personal risk understanding and preparedness.

source https://www.iia.org.uk/media/599131/risk-appetite-3.jpg

Source: www.iia.org.uk/media/599131/risk-appetite-3.jpg

So, last month’s December weather with extremes in temperatures, precipitation and winds including two named UK storms to boot is luckily behind us but we’re certainly not out of the woods just yet. In addition, there are always aspects of personal security and safety to consider which are very much part and parcel of personal preparedness.

For more preparedness resources check out our hub, browse the blog navigation as well as the top navigation of the website. And remember to follow us on social media where we share tips, updates and prize lotteries to keep you informed and kitted. More links below.

Wishing you belated a very happy and prepared New Year 2018.

Monika

 

1 2017 “Communicating Risk”, Parliamentary Office of Science and Technology, POST note 564

 

 

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Cold Wave – beyond Cold Weather Action to Personal Preparedness

Have you seen some of the lovely snow and ice pictures floating around on social media since yesterday? This blog about Cold Weather Preparedness is the exact opposite from my earlier post on Heatwave – beyond Heat Health Watch to Personal Preparedness back in June. Since we are pretty firmly on a path where we need to Prepare for a world that’s more than 2°C warmer  which translates into more frequent and severe weather events, personal preparedness really does make a lot of sense. You can take pro-active steps to be better prepared and stay well and healthy also with regards to being #WinterReady.  So….

What is personal preparedness for a cold wave?

First, it’s about being informed which then means you can get better prepared. Let’s break this down and a good example here is this post from the Northamptonshire Emergency Planning Team. Take a closer look at the graphic:

The UK’s MetOffice issues Cold Weather Action alerts as part of ‘Cold Weather Health Watch’.  This system operates in England from the 1 November to 31 March every year and runs in association with Public Health England. Currently there is a level three AMBER warning in place which for the authorities means that social and healthcare services must execute specific actions with regards to high-risk population groups such as the very young, the elderly or those with certain chronic health conditions. What exactly happens on the government side, you can find out on the Cold Weather Plan for England. Importantly, you can take personal steps to be better prepared. Cold weather can mean snow and ice which, if you’re out may look like this

Naturally, it makes a lot of sense to prepare yourself and your vehicle properly before setting out. Stay updated on the weather and road conditions and allow for plenty of time. This blog, naturally, recommends proper winter driving preparedness, for example:

Personal #Preparedness matters | https://t.co/KIqCuQazkD#RoadSafety #HealthandSafety #WinterReady #car #travel #weekend #driving #snow #ice #RTC #crash #delays #weatheraware #prepared pic.twitter.com/G9l6GHlDNk

— EVAQ8 Emergency Kits (@EVAQ8_news)

… and listen to Dave, he has excellent advice for the enthusiastic:

 

In addition, preparing properly for a Cold Wave also concerns your home; for example see our info page on severe winter preparedness.  Keep in mind that freezing temperatures, snow and ice have other consequences, such as power cuts  which may also impact your home food safety .  Therefore, you may want to consider some basic shelter-in-place measures and stocking the right emergency food which you can prepare and enjoy even when utilities become disrupted.
Keeping warm is key during a cold weather alert. There are easy and simple steps you can take to stay safe at home and when going out:

  •  keep your main rooms heated, use extra blankets
  •  take extra care with electrical items and be #FireSafety aware
  • dress in layers and keep active
  • take extra care when out and about to avoid accidents
  • stay #weatheraware, have the right kit and supplies

Finally, a super

TOP TIP for Cold Weather preparedness

… and you will laugh for it’s a very small thing. Carry an emergency foil blanket in your backpack or handbag. It’s cheap, hardly takes up space nor adds weight and is a potential life saver. And that, by the way, applies for business too which should always stock emergency blankets as part of their business preparedness.

 

And so I leave you with a couple of lovely winter images and wish you a warm and prepared rest of the week and a cosy and safe weekend #StaySafe #bePrepared.

Monika

 

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It pays to be #winterready and  better prepared. Avoid being stranded! Check out our info page What goes into a Winter Car Emergency Kit .

 

Emergency Preparedness: #WinterReady how to be better informed (and get the right kit but that’s just an aside)

Pull up and get cosy 🙂 Let’s take a look at #WinterReady

Today the Met Office re-launched their ‘get ready for winter’ campaign which includes ‘thinking about a winter kit for your car’. Naturally, those of you who are familiar with this blog and website will already know our section on Winter Driving . If you are new, then a warm welcome and please do check out the links given as well as the navigation both on the right and top. Obviously (but then I’m biased) I strongly advise to go beyond just thinking but to act and get better prepared, especially when it concerns #roadsafety: driving and being #winterready is more than just a thought experiment 😉

What does it actually mean to be #WinterReady?

Well, that depends on who you ask of course. What the Met Office’s 12 point list nicely shows, however, is that being #WinterReady covers quite a bit of ground. According to them, this ranges from health, to securing your property, to staying safe on the road and expecting severe weather. Another way of looking at preparedness is via consequences, something I’ve touched upon in what you must plan and prepared for.

What you must keep in mind above all in this is that …

Being informed is key to being #WinterReady and better preparedness

Today, rather than going on about the particulars of emergency kits, I want to focus on what personal preparedness and #WinterReady looks like from the point of view of being informed.

“But we are all informed all the time” I hear you say and you are right, we are indeed connected like never before. However, the really astonishing fact is that while so many of us are plugged in and networked up we have rarely done so with regards to emergency preparedness. Only relatively few people actually know and use quality apps or follow crucial social media accounts.

There is a lot of awareness raising going on this time of the year by outreach programmes such as last Sunday during #HamptonshireDay by their inspiring and engaging Local Resilience Forum team …

 

… or like today by Local Councils and NGO’s such as The FloodAdvisory in Bolton during half term

Events such as these are brilliant yet only reach a limited number of people. Studies have shown that following leaflet distribution, approximately 10% of people changed their behaviour and engaged in one or more preparedness activities1. This is promising. Now imagine the reach and impact if this is done on social media where people can subscribe for free and receive relevant information and reminders.

How and where to sign up for crucial preparedness information was one of the key topics during #prep2017day23 of this years ‘September is Preparedness’ campaign @30days30waysUK. And so here are the

top social media accounts to be better #prepared  and #winterready

Twitter alerts shares critical information in times of crisis via key accounts, make sure you follow and sign up to alerts from:

In addition, it is recommended you follow twitter accounts such as your service providers (water, gas, electricity), local council and local resilience forum. Find out through them if your local area has an active #FloodAction group and then connect with them; for example

Facebook has a function called safety check which automatically activates during an emergency, for example, during the recent attacks in Manchester and London.

Flood warnings by email: you can also sign up to receive flood warnings via email

In addition there are many FREE APPS that are highly recommended for better preparedness. All of them are free and excellent quality which is why it is puzzling that not more people are using them:

 

Top picks for FREE UK emergency preparedness apps

30days30waysUK.org.uk is not an app but a brilliant hub and FREE campaign for all things preparedness. You can jump in anytime to do your own 30days30ways for better preparedness all year round and don’t miss ‘September is Preparedness Month 2018’. Follow them @30days30waysUK. They spring into action again next August..

For more tips check out #prep2017day23 and look through the posts and replies. You can also find a fun collection on pinterest by heading to preparedAPP.

So, what are you waiting for?

Take your pick and sign-up, download those free apps and get to test-driving them. It’s not only fun but actually hugely useful and gets you better #PREPARED and #WinterReady.

Have a nice rest of the week.

Monika

 

Reference

1  Marshall, R.J., Petrone, L., Takach, M.J., Sansonetti, S., Wah-Fitta, M., Bagnall-Degos, A. and Novais, A., 2007. Make a kit, make a plan, stay informed: Using social marketing to change the population’s emergency preparedness behavior. Social Marketing Quarterly, 13(4), pp.47-64.

More studies and resources available via 30days30waysUK.org.UK/partners page, see practitioners resources via google docs.

 

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UK Emergency Preparedness: hygiene and emergency sanitation

So, you have hygiene covered in your emergency grab bag and your shelter-in-place kit.  You know about water purification and can tick all those boxes in your personal emergency preparedness plan. That’s great …. but actually not quite good enough aka not quite right, a familiar ‘Goldilocks’ reference for those that are regular visitors to this blog.

Let’s take a closer look. Hygiene and sanitation during emergencies or disasters have been in the news (again!) lately. Abigail Brown asks the right question:

https://twitter.com/waterfortheages/status/907187933588979712

.. and here is why this is important: flood waters carry and then deposit dangerous bacteria and toxic chemicals

tragically, for some, these problem can seem never ending and, unbelievably, it’s not just a developing world problem

Contamination raises very serious concerns:

Now you may think these things don’t happen ‘at home’ here in the UK. Cholera (and typhoid, dysentery, diarrhea…illnesses from molds)  is a threat of the past in the UK you may say. In that case I recommend you take a closer look at Cholera and the Thames so brilliantly put together by Westminster Archives with the help of interns and volunteers.  Back when and I quote “Bazalgette’s foresight provided a sewage system that has served London well up to now. Today, however, the system is struggling to cope with the demands of 21st century London.” And that’s in good times, not during an emergency or disaster such as security threats, serious storms and flooding.

Listen to Mary Dhonau, she has been there, she knows:

– When I was #flooded I couldn’t believe what came out of the drains Surely it’s only the ‘3ps’ down the loo & only water down the plug hole?

– UK floods: Buckskin sewage contamination continues

Now, while the best sanitation system does not exist (do explore that link!) it does not mean that household preparedness is powerless. On the contrary. It is crucial that households are better prepared precisely so that there is less of an overall impact when an emergency or disaster occurs.

Household preparedness for emergency sanitation is easy

US Homeland Security News has some of the best advice online while the CDC compares immediate term sanitation solutions. In summary:

  • water flush toilets cannot be used when water service is interrupted
  • do not flush toilets or dig holes; untreated raw sewage is a serious health hazard
  • store a large supply of different size heavy-duty plastic bags (min 1 bag per person per day), disinfectant, toilet paper
  • consider portable camp toilets, small trashcans or sturdy buckets with tight fitting lids lined with heavy duty plastic bags are an alternative
  • safe disposal; wait for collections and/or instructions of the authorities

All the above applies during emergencies and disasters but also in their aftermath. Recovery can take (a lot of!) time depending on the severity. Cleaning up safely is hugely important and will be covered in another blog. For now I wanted to share this tweet from the NYtimes which has a useful summary so check out their article and further resources links:

Why am I writing about all this? Well, because from where I stand I see UK households woefully unprepared and that’s why the topic ‘hygiene’ in this year’s 30days30waysUK campaign #prep2017day20 has been expanded to include emergency sanitation for household preparedness.

September is Preparedness Month is now in full swing. 30days30waysUK is a brilliant FREE campaign on twitter and facebook you can join anytime. Check it out!

Be #prepared – not scared:  #WinterReady

Have a great week!

Be prepared, not scared.

Monika
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Emergency Preparedness and Food Safety in the UK

The last thing you need after an emergency such as severe weather and flooding which has knocked out your power supply is food poisoning.  Knowing what to do before, during and after a powercut, brownout or blackout is important to avoid potentially serious health problems.

Food Safety in an Emergency: it’s all about time and temperature control

Know your numbers for safe food:

  • +5C fridge setting or less to keep food cool (40F)
  • -18C freezer setting or less to keep food frozen (0F)
  • 2 days  = max time food stays frozen in a well-stocked , unopened freezer
  • 4 hours = max time food stays cold in a well-stocked, unopened fridge

Importantly, not all spoiled food will look or smell bad. So, after 4 hours of power outage, transfer foods that spoil faster into a cooler with ice and keep under 5C: meat, dairy, cheese.

source USDA | https://i.pinimg.com/736x/7f/9a/40/7f9a404591149d829b7e282b65690b14--power-outage-food-safety.jpg

Food Safety in an Emergency: what to keep and what to throw out

Thankfully, power cuts are usually quickly resolved but when they’re not, your fridge is your week point. Remember to transfer your fridge food after 4 hours of power outage to an ice cooler and keep it under 5C . Your food safety rule of thumb: when in doubt, throw it out.  Food poisoning, while usually not life threatening, is nevertheless seriously unpleasant.

You can keep frozen food that are still icy and uncooked fruit and vegetable. After more than 2 hours at room temperature throw out: meat, soft cheese, opened sauces, leftovers, sliced fruit and vegetables, cooked fruit and vegetables. Remember, not all spoiled food looks or smells bad. When in doubt – throw it out!

WATCH  FDA’s video Food Safety during Power Outages

 

Another good video is from Canada, with Chef Geremy Capone from  ELLICSR Kitchen

 

Preparedness, including food safety, are big topics in the US as these two tweets leading up to and during Hurricane Irma show

 

In the UK, food safety information is somewhat more thin on the ground especially with regards to preparedness. However, the good news is that Food Safety guidance aimed at catering business is easily adaptable to household preparedness. For example, check out the Food Standard Agencys’ page How chilled is your food, safer food better business and their food alerts.

In the US, there is a dedicated number to call in emergencies.

As far as I’m aware, that kind of service is not yet available in the UK. Like with so much about preparedness, there is much that yet needs to be done all around. And this leads me to ask: do you know about #30days30waysUK? It’s a month long campaign each September to boost personal preparedness and resilience. Day 19 (#prep2017day19) is about food safety. Follow @30days30waysUK and take part. And finally, check out the info pages here  on UK Food Security and Emergency and Survival Food.

Be prepared, not scared.

Monika
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Emergency preparedness for individuals: what you must plan and prepare for

No-one can predict the future accurately.
But we all can plan and prepare for it.

Getting better prepared and creating networks of support that build community resilience are crucial so that it does NOT end up as a case of aid versus preparedness as I wrote earlier.

So, what is it then that you must plan and prepare for?

Different emergencies or disasters call for different responses. Some of these are tackled in the scenarios at the preparedness hub. However, what sometimes gets overlooked this way is that there are common threads running through all of these. It has to do with consequences rather than with causes of emergencies and disasters and that is a good way to talk about preparedness, especially with people that are new to the topic. So, what it all boils down to is that you must …

be prepared for:  delays in getting help

It’s not that the emergency services don’t want to get to you in a disaster but the same things that stop you also affect them: road closures, lack of communication, severe weather conditions … not to mention the many people that will want assistance all at the same time.

The emergency services and local authorities are mandated by law to serve, survey and respond over an entire area and provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people. Naturally, they cannot get to everyone right away so there will be a delay in help. That is why you need to be able to take care of yourself at least for some time.

There is a lot you can do for self-reliance and to get better prepared. The general recommendation is to stock a minimum of three days, or in other words 72 hours’ worth of supplies,  essentially non-perishable food, clean water and medications to shelter-in-place as well as an emergency grab bag for safe evacuation. What that looks like, check out the blog series on safe evacuation; especially ‘mass’ evacuation and why ‘self’ evacuation preparedness makes a lot of sense.

With this, you’re off to a great start but keep in mind that the more you prepare and get equipped the better off you will be in a real disaster or emergency. Find out more about how to build your own emergency kit and check out the survival kit list.

 

be prepared for: road closures

Flooding, landslides etc. can collapse roads and bridges and affect how you can move around with public transport and your own vehicle. Always keep a half tank of fuel in your car and spare road maps as part of your car safety kit in case GPS is disrupted and you are forced into unfamiliar areas.

In the event of a mass evacuation, be prepared for a long journey. It may well end up looking like this

 

be prepared for: power outages

Power outages mean no ATMs or cash dispensers, no petrol pumps at your gas station, your fridge/freezer stops working and food goes off (Emergency Preparedness and FoodSafety), the batteries in your phone and gadgets don’t get charged, no TV or internet …  Following on from the earlier example of the recent flash flooding in Coverack, it appears the community there knows that scenario well …

Read more about preparedness for power cuts, brown outs and black outs and also check out food security especially for communities.  

 

be prepared for: lack of clean water

Water mains bursts and flooding can mean outages and contamination of your water supply. In an emergency, shut off your supply to keep your clean water in and dirty, unsafe water out. Read more about utilities shut off safety. Your home may already have ’emergency stores’ i.e. top reservoirs of toilets, boilers, garden reservoirs etc. but keep in mind that  water purification is essential for health.

Minimum clean water supplies are usually given as 1 gallon (approx. 4.5 lt) per person per day for basic needs such as drinking, food preparation and hygiene. If you have pets, count each one as you would a person for extra reserves.

be prepared for: limited or no communication

Communication systems may get knocked out which means you may be unable to call for help or get information the usual way. It also means you may lose touch with loved ones. Having a communications plan and preparedness measures in place is vital. Check out our free template on the preparedness hub to get you started so that it does not come to this …

be prepared for: property damage

If you’re lucky, property damage is minimal which means you can shelter-in-place and ride it out. However, property damage may be extensive which means you can no longer safely stay and must evacuate and shelter elsewhere.

The most common damage to property is from fire. There is a lot you can do for better fire safety and fire preparedness. Other common property damage may result from flooding or wind. Take a look at his short video showing the impact of different wind speeds. It may be set in the tropics with palm trees but applies to other settings too.

be prepared for: living in a shelter

Living in a shelter is not like living at home. The better prepared you are the more comfortable you will be. Living in a shelter can look very different depending on circumstances and duration. You may choose to provide your own shelter by staying with loved ones, moving into a hotel or even camp outdoors. Alternatively, you may be given shelter provided by the authorities and volunteers. Often, this will look similar to this example in the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower Disaster

be prepared for: a new ‘normal’ Depending on the severity of the emergency or disaster, clean-up and recovery can take a long time. In many instances lives are disrupted for extended periods of time and never get quite back to how things were before. A ‘new normal’ eventually settles in as people piece their lives back together. What that may look like for you is something you can help determine. Start planning and preparing today so that you can be better prepared tomorrow. Events like flooding are sadly the new reality as we all face and must prepare for a world that’s more than 2° C warmer.  

Be prepared, not scared. Start today for a safer and more secure tomorrow.

Monika  

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Preparedness: it’s all about capabilities and capacities

What? That sounds like a slogan and you’re right, it is. Actually, it’s a good one because it elegantly sums up what preparedness is all about. But what exactly does ‘capabilities and capacities’ actually mean, why should you care and what does it have to do with preparedness? These are excellent questions. Here is a quick explainer.

In a nutshell: capability is your ability or skill to do something and your capacity is about whether you actually have the means and tools to do so.

So, how does ‘capabilities and capacities’ apply to preparedness and why should I care?

It’s all about you and what exactly happens when you are affected by an emergency or disaster. Fact is: in a real emergency or disaster, the emergency services will respond but cannot get to everyone right away. It pays to be ready and better prepared so that you are not left entirely helpless and can respond.

Preparedness capabilities and capacities are about what YOU can do – YOUR skill set – and how well you can apply your skill set because of the tools and equipment you can access.

So, as you can see, the two concepts build on each another and come together. Thus the slogan ‘Preparedness is all about capabilities and capacities’ works pretty well. And there is more…

Preparedness is about being pro-active rather than just re-active. Another way of saying this is

‘Preparedness is  (the capacity and capability of) bouncing forward so that you can bounce back faster’

after an emergency or disaster. It goes beyond being re-active, as for example in the RUN, TELL, HIDE advice. Sometimes you simply can’t or don’t want to do that and besides, there are many emergencies other than a weapons attack; for more along those lines see Security & Safety Update then also head to what are invacuation, lockdown and shelter-in-place and what exactly does safe self-evacuation look like? If you are involved with NGOs see Rethinking Resilience: Capacities of relief staff and volunteers in disaster zones.

But back to ‘capabilities and capacities’ and some more detail. Naturally you need real life skills such as first aid training and emergency planning for which we give you a lot of free resources at our preparedness hub.

That’s a good start but it’s actually not enough. Just imagine for a moment that you are the best trained doctor or nurse in the world but your first aid kit /emergency grab bag / crisis response kit is empty….Right, you immediately get where this is going: you need the right tools to be better prepared. Luckily you already are in the best place for just exactly that – it’s easy:

Take a look at How to build your own emergency kit and also  the Survival Kit List. If you own a business or know someone who does, explore and share Business Preparedness. Check out the many standard Emergency Kit Grab Bags listed or perhaps you are after a custom-made Emergency Kit tailored specifically to you.

Get better prepared – bounce back faster: upgrade your capabilities and capacities. Start today!

Monika

 

For more Resilience Blog simply use the right hand navigation. For emergency kits and practical resources use the top navigation. For more on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness head over to our FREE resources at the Preparedness Hub and find out why we use humour. If you like this post, please share it to help raise awareness for Emergency and Disaster Preparedness.

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For real-life insight into professional capabilities and capacities, take a look at the BBC’s ‘Hospital’ episode 1 season 2 | London Bridge attack victims being treated at St Mary’s Hospital Paddington.

Forgotten disasters: the 1935 London fire that sparked the world’s first 999 emergency phone line

HAPPY BIRTHDAY – the world’s first 999 emergency phone service celebrates its 80th birthday!

Something has just gone badly wrong and you pick up the phone and dial 999 in a real emergency. How simple and brilliant is that! Take a moment to actually just think about this. When you are in real need, the emergency services will respond. They save the lives of countless people every day. It’s just become ‘normal’ and so it’s easy to forget that it wasn’t always so: turn back to clock to a …

Forgotten Disaster: 1935 Wimpole Street London

A fire breaks out on the ground floor at a doctor’s house in 27 Wimpole Street, Marylebone – incidentally the same address (27A) made famous in George Bernard Shaw’s play Pygmalion (1913, characters Professor Higgins, Eliza Doolittle).

source CC: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/5c/42/43/5c424310be25d195293c5dd9a541d0aa--fire-dept-fire-department.jpgHowever, on that fateful early morning on November 10th, drama turned to tragedy when help arrived too late for those trapped in the upper rooms.  A milkman on his rounds noticed dense smoke and ran to the nearest street fire alarm, smashing the glass and pulling the alarm.  Running back he stood by helplessly as an elderly woman leaned out from the window shouting “for God’s sake get the fire brigade” before disappearing amid smoke and flames.

A neighbour attempted to dial through to the local telephone exchange and was unable to reach an operator. Eventually the fire service did arrive but sadly too late for the victims Mrs Franklin, wife of the doctor, Miss Brook her nice and a cook, a housemaid and a kitchen maid. Also remembered must be the hero of the tragedy, a fireman by the name of Leonard Tobias who carried on searching the smoke-filled building ‘long after his men had collapsed’. He was later killed in the line of duty.

Take a look at how the incident was reported in widely different ways, for example in The Spectator and on the other side of the globe in The Courier-Mail, Brisbane:

999 history SPECTATOR

999 history courier brisbane

 

But the story does not end there, thankfully.

The caller, Norman Macdonald, a dentist living in the house opposite who had been held in a queue by the Welbeck telephone exchange was so outraged that he wrote a letter to the editor of The Times1. In response to the letter and public outcry, the Government set up a committee to establish a dedicated emergency service. At the time when there were only 3 million home telephones and most people would use coin-operated red telephone boxes, the number 999 was chosen because it was easy to dial.

For a real look into what actually happens today when you dial 999, take a look at this video from Northants Emergencies

And please THINK before you dial 999

 

THANK YOU emergency services and HAPPY 8oth BIRTHDAY 999.

Monika

 

 

1. “It all started with us” The Times (archive)

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Crowded Places Guidance: Crisis Response Kit what you need to know

The latest National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) guidance recommends a CRISIS RESPONSE KIT containing the right tools to safely manage a major incident for ‘crowded places’. This includes different sectors1 as well as business such as high street shops, shopping centres, bars, clubs, restaurants, hotels, event venues, cinemas, theatres and tourist attractions.

NaCTSO writes  (emphasis added)

“The threat we face from terrorism is significant. As we have seen in the UK and across Europe attacks can happen at any time and any place without warning. Understanding the threat we all face and of the ways we can mitigate it can help keep us safer. Everyone can play a role in this effort by taking steps to help boost their protective security.”

There are legal as well as commercial reason why business should plan and prepare because of the potential of criminal prosecution and penalties under health and safety legislation2. Efforts to raise awareness for business preparedness and drive the protective security/crisis response message are well under way across the UK:

For business, or any sector listed in the NaCTSO crowded places guidance, crisis response planning means you also need a CRISIS RESPONSE KIT grab bag and a basic checklist appears on their page 156. Naturally, each sector or business is different so a ‘one size fits all’ approach is actually not really fit for purpose. That’s why we have put together a comparison list to help you make the right choices for your Business Preparedness.

Right-click on the image to open a larger version and use CTRL+ on your keyboard to magnify; a PDF is available and the list also appears at Emergency Grab Bag: what and why.
NaCTSO Crisis Response Kit - EVAQ8 emergency grab bag comparison

 

EVAQ8.co.uk is the UK’s Emergency Preparedness specialist. We have assisted thousands of Businesses in the UK and abroad for many years to find the right practical tools for their Business Preparedness, Business Continuity and Business Contingency planning. While you’re here take a look and explore the standard Workplace Kits and examples of Bespoke Kits.  If you don’t find exactly what you are looking for and require Emergency Kits built to your specification simply contact us for a competitive quote.

***

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Heatwave – beyond Heat Health Watch to Personal Preparedness

What an amazingly beautiful HOT weekend we’ve just enjoyed and are promised much more to come the rest of this summer! Yet a heatwave can have quite serious consequences some of which are perhaps well less known. Mostly people talk about health effects and there is a so called Heat Health Watch, for example

 

 

With regards to national preparedness, the Heatwave plan for England kicks in every year on the 1st June and runs to mid September. But what about personal preparedness?

Heatwaves affect anyone says the British Red Cross, especially older people, children and babies and people suffering from certain chronic conditions. Yet heatwaves not only affect health.  Our Preparedness for Heatwave page explains like this tweet:

So in addition to health, you need to be better prepared for power cuts such as brownouts and blackouts. Thankfully, power is usually restored pretty quickly. However, if you suffer an extended power cut the numbers to remember for food safety are 2 hours and 5°C. Fresh food left at above 5°C for 2 hours may spoil and in the most severe cases may lead to food poisoning. Also see guidance on refrigerated food and power outages and frozen food and power outages and check out our blog on Modern Emergency Food Storage which is ideal as preparedness measures. But enough about food! In this heat you’ll probably focus less on food but simply on how to cope in hot weather (and hopefully won’t get stuck in elevators or worse!). Dehydration symptoms can quickly sneak up on you so be aware and drink plenty of cool water even if you’re not feeling thirsty. Drinking plenty of water keeps your system going but you may still find you’re feeling uncomfortably hot, especially if like all of us you want to or have to keep active. So here is a quick cheeky fix, a bit of personal preparedness on the fly on how to stay cool

Be cool – stay cool! #prepared  :-)

Monika     .. and heatwave preparedness is for pets too:

 

 

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The Guardian 21June2017 UK heatwave brings hottest June day for 40 years

Emergency Preparedness UK: security and safety update June 2017

Wow! Two really good things happened this week for emergency preparedness, addressing both safety and security. First, the @EPCollege published @HasisD ‘s  report on what the UN Disaster Risk Reduction Sendai Framework means for (local!!) UK practitioners which really opens up the debate (PDF)

… and today, just four days after the London Bridge attack, the National Counter Terrorism Security Office (NaCTSO) issued new official safety guidance for crowded places which includes a substantial section on personal safety.

 

In their guidance, NaCTSO writes

“No-one has more responsibility for your personal security than you.”

Naturally, security and safety go hand in hand and so in my view this statement applies across the board to include all risks, not just terrorism. Actually, the risk from terrorism, viewed objectively and rationally, plays just a very small role. Consider:

“On an average day, terrorists kill 21 people worldwide. On that same average day, natural or technological disasters kill 2,200 people – or more than 100 times as many.”

The more ‘clear and present danger’ lies elsewhere. As my earlier post Prepare for a world that’s more than 2° C warmer discusses, there is a different elephant in the room. A new study that assessed potential future climate damage to major European coastal cities projects that annual economic losses may range up to 40 billion $ by 2100 (based on worst emission scenario, which we’re heading into rather fast).   For the UK, sadly, this will continue to look more and more like this:  

So, what is to be done? Well, actually there is a lot that anyone can do. In this blog, we specifically talk about personal and community preparedness, capabilities which means skills and training and capacities which means practical tools and equipment. Key posts here to look at are:

Disaster Preparedness – what disaster, why preparedness?

Resilience and Preparedness Roadblocks: what stops us?

Community Resilience Building Blocks – it all starts with prepared individuals

Be prepared – not scared!

Monika

edit to add: also just out now is the JRF’s report: “Present and future flood vulnerability, risk and disadvantage: A UK scale assessment” This report is of particular interest to community resilience. It highlights how flood risks interact with social vulnerability across the UK to create flood disadvantage, an issue which will be exacerbated by climate change. Today some 6.4 million people live in flood prone areas, with around 1.5 million of these people living in vulnerable neighbourhoods (which include people on low incomes, with poor health and other factors that means floods are likely to have more negative impacts…

 

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UK Community Resilience: Flood Action Groups and Volunteer Major Incident Response Teams lead the way

An update on the North Yorkshire Local Resilience Forum NYLRF Community Resilience and Emergency Plan scheme

Back in October 2015 I first introduced you to UK Community Resilience – a brilliant example of what really works and a follow up of the project. Several seasons of storms and flooding later as well as post 2016 National Flood Resilience Review, it’s high time I update you on progress, for much has indeed happened at North Yorkshire Resilience Forum (NYLRF) to raise community resilience and get people better prepared.

The pilot project originally started with 11 trail blazing communities two years ago reaching around 22’000 people. Now take a look at how this project has grown to include all these communities:

North Yorkshire Communi Resilience map

Green means Community Emergency Plans completed and orange means Community Emergency Plans are under way. This is amazing progress! 🙂 The map is updated regularly and you can see it for yourself by visiting the NYLRF Community Emergency Plans page (click the black and white map there to get to the live one).

One of the communities that has been on board since the word ‘go’ is Tadcaster Flood Action Group. They have a brilliant website and are also on twitter @TadFloodGroup and  facebook so check them out.

Tadcaster Flood Action Group

Their team of dedicated volunteers simply do amazing work and have vast experience since their town was divided by the famous bridge collapse thanks to the terrible 2015 winter storms namely Storm Eva and Storm Frank.

This year, to raise awareness even further, Tadcaster Flood Action Group is planning a bi-monthly newsletter distributed via the website, email and leaflet drop at properties at risk in Tadcaster and I for one cannot wait to see their first edition. Networking and organising local evens are, naturally, also on the agenda and they work with communities such as Ulleskelf Flood Action Group, Newton Kyme and Kirby Wharfe, sharing knowledge and experience to keep communities safe from flooding and build community resilience.

Community Preparedness Kits form one important aspect of the NYLRF Emergency Plan Scheme (together with plans and training), providing tools and resources to those on the front line.

Nicola Eades from Tadcaster Flood Action Group says:

“The community resilience kit which we received has been absolutely fabulous and is a kit that we have in our central base. It simply gives the group peace of mind and a preparation tool having it to hand.”

 

Robin Derry, senior Emergency Planner at North Yorkshire and creator of the NYLRF community resilience scheme already looks ahead, saying:

“The success shown by communities such as Tadcaster is helping to promote this scheme to other communities across the county resulting in a rapid upturn in community preparedness. The added incentive of a free emergency kit is definitely a bonus.

We have a number of events planned across the coming months to promote the scheme further and long list of communities wanting to get up and running with a plan.”

 

In addition, another recent successful example, Ingleton, has been reported in the press:

Ingleton Community Emergency Preparedness Plan

 

But it does not end here. In addition to Flood Action, I want to also tell you about another NYLRF collaboration to tackle community resilience from yet another vital angle: mental health. Meet Alex Sutcliffe and her Major Incident Response Team (MIRT) who will offer support in the aftermath of a traumatic incident such as major flooding to help those who may have been affected:


Find out more about what they do on the Post Incident Support page on the NYRLF website and keep your eyes on this blog which will soon post more about  @alexsutcliffe24 work who explains:

“The MIRT team are a very special team of volunteers who are always ready and willing to be called out to support communities or individuals through a traumatic experience.  We do this by offering emotional and practical support, whenever and wherever it is needed.  The MIRT bags from EVAQ8 have been invaluable as an additional resource to allow the volunteers to be prepared and raring to go with ‘life essentials’ and short notice.
When communities or individuals need the assistance of one or more of the MIRT volunteers, it is at a time when they are at their most vulnerable.  Being evacuated from your home at short notice can leave you feeling very vulnerable and ‘out of control’.  The skills of the MIRT team, ensure that anyone in our care is well looked after and kept safe until such a time that they are able to return to their own homes.”

 

The creation of this special team is a UK first and so all must be hugely congratulated for getting this off the ground.

 

Building community resilience in the UK remains a top priority and the NYLRF model approach is a brilliant example that works.

Hazards and risks are many, not just flooding as we are preparing for a world that’s a least 2°C warmer.

Clearly, Resilience and Preparedness roadblocks  have not damped the spirits of the many dedicated emergency planners and volunteers that make it happen in Yorkshire. It is my sincere hope that their example will go on to inspire many. Why not consider starting a Flood Action or Community Preparedness Group in your area? Get in touch with your Local Resilience Forum and find out what opportunities there are.

Be prepared – not scared!

Monika

For more Resilience Blog simply use the right hand navigation. For emergency kits and practical resources use the top navigation. For more on Emergency and Disaster Preparedness head over to our FREE resources at the Preparedness Hub and find out why we use humour. If you like this post, please share it to help raise awareness for Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. 

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added on 25Sep2017 as part of 30days30waysUK #prep2017day25 #preparedCommunity

ABC of Emergency Preparedness

One way of engaging with emergency preparedness is to create an ABC. It’s a fun activity for adults and kids alike to get thinking about the important topic of how to be better prepared for an emergency or disaster, what that entails and means. Here is one such ABC of emergency preparedness, focusing on household preparedness and family in a general setting. Examples are drawn internationally because the same fundamental preparedness principles apply irrespective of where in the world you are. I hope what follows will inspire you to come up with your own version of your ‘personal’ ABC of Emergency Preparedness.   [this post is also accessed by https://evaq8.co.uk/blog/abc-of-emergency-preparedness/]

A  for ATTITUDE  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

No matter what kind of emergency, staying calm and keeping a positive attitude is essential. Do not panic. Get your breathing under control to clear your mind so that you can assess the situation appropriately.

Connected to attitude are beliefs and here drawing on faith for strength is useful irrespective of exactly what kind of ideology you follow. In addition, check out the post on how to achieve realistic confidence in the face of crisis.

   

B  for BE BETTER PREPARED  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

That means being PRO-ACTIVE rather than just re-active. Planning ahead, getting equipped and informed is your best bet. Preparedness means you are likely to better manage in an emergency or disaster. Up your chances by upping your capacities (kit, supplies, tools etc.) and capabilities (knowledge, training, skills etc).

 

C  for COMMUNICATE | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Emergency preparedness is a ‘group sport’ so to be able to communicate effectively before, during and after a crisis is vital. The word ‘preparedness’ implies being better prepared BEFORE something happens. Planning your communication is as important as communicating during your planning stage: it sets everything up and keeps everything going. That also means when you make your household emergency plan, check your assumptions: don’t just think you know but find out, update and verify, talk to reliable people in your communities as well as emergency planning professionals such as via your Local Resilience Forum. In addition, keep in mind that communication is more than just giving and following advice or instructions and staying in touch. It’s also about signalling for help, coordinating emergency plans beyond immediate family to other groups of people, locating the missing or lost, organising support and new supply chains etc. Some questions to explore include where do you find the right information? How and what do you communicate to your loved ones when you’re setting up your plan? What does communication look like during a crisis and in the aftermath in how to receive help or in how to assist? How can you communicate effectively under potentially extreme situations? What will you need to be more self-reliant?

 

D   for DEVICES | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Tech is great – when it works. Problem is it often doesn’t during a real crisis or disaster situation. No power, limited battery life, network failures… in short, you need additional kit as well as independent low-tech solutions. Good examples here are solar chargers for your gadgets, hard copies of local maps as well as your ID’s and insurance documents, pocket guides for first aid and survival etc.

 

E    for EVACUATION  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Do you stay or go? In some situations the best option is safe evacuation, getting out of harm’s way quickly, returning once the all clear has been given by authorities. Evacuation can happen for many reasons and can be temporary, lasting just a few minutes or hours or expand to more medium or even long term shelter-in-place situations away from your home. Most evacuations are self-evacuations when you get right down to it.  So what exactly does safe self-evacuation look like?

 

F  for  FIRST AID | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

First aid is an essential life skill and the more training and knowledge you have the better off you are in an emergency situation. It’s that simple. However, it’s no good knowing a lot and then not having the tools and resources when and where you need them so a well-stocked first aid kit or medical kit is an absolute must, kitted to your abilities and needs.

 

G  for GO-BAG | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

All essentials packed in one sturdy grab bag ready to go at any time, that’s a GoBag. Find out how to build your own emergency kit and check out our preparedness hub for even more free resources.

 

H for HYGIENE  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Hygiene contributes to health. Absence or insufficient hygiene in the aftermath of a disaster can have very serious consequences. Water purification is an important element as is travel hygiene, i.e. during an evacuation and shelter-in-place situation.

 

I  for  IDENTIFICATION | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Your GoBag must contain paper copies of documents that can prove your identity and address as a minimum. Additional documents and USB backups of i.e. personal photos, contacts list, insurance, inventory accounts etc. are highly recommended.

 

J  for JUNK  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Everything but the kitchen sink, it might come in useful. No! Leave unnecessary items behind. Make the right choices in what to take with you and how to secure the belongings you leave behind. Your GoBag must be comprehensive enough to last you 72 hours yet must be light enough that you can carry it comfortable for extended periods of time. Loading up your car with tons of stuff does not mean you are better prepared. Less is more. Get the right kit; don’t simply make do. Your life may depend on it. And whatever you do, NEVER leave your pets behind!

 

K  for KEEP FOCUSED | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Emergencies or disaster can be confusing and scary. Understanding fear is important as it can be your best ally. What do you need to help you keep focused and maintain a positive attitude? Short-term energy food and drinks help as well as frequent morale boost. What works for you and how will you build this into your emergency plan to be better prepared?

 

L  for LOCAL MAPS | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Having accurate information about your local environment is key: roads, bridges, rivers, lakes, woods, towns etc. Don’t rely on tech alone which may stop functioning in an emergency or disaster. Know several ways to get to safe shelter locations. Also, knowing about your flood and other risks based on local maps is crucial.

 

M  for MEALS-READY-TO-EAT aka MRE  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

If your car runs out of fuel, it stops and if YOU run out of fuel so will you. Maintaining energy levels during a crisis means that you can continue doing what you need to be doing. The last thing you want to worry is about cooking your next decent meal. MRE’s have been used by the military for many years and there are many reasons why they work so well for emergency preparedness: delicious, nutritious, long-shelf life, space and cost effective. So, check it out and also see our survival food page. What’s your favourite menu?

 

N  for NOURISHMENT | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Quality emergency and survival food is one aspect but there is also mental and emotional nourishment. As mentioned earlier, maintaining attitude and the ability to keep focus is crucial to being better prepared for emergencies. Once the initial urgent phase has passed there needs to be time to process, coming to terms with events and finding silver linings, giving and finding support on all levels: physical, mental and emotional – perhaps sometimes using ‘unusual’ tools  ;-)   ….

 

O  for ORGANISE | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Without ‘organising’ you are toast in an emergency or disaster situation, it’s that simple. Get cracking, it’s easy and even fun to do so. Make emergency preparedness plans for work and private life:  a personal emergency plan, a family emergency plan, a community emergency plan, a fire safety plan, an evacuation plan, a shelter-in-place plan, a travel emergency plan ….any and all that make sense and are needed in your particular sets of circumstances. To start, head over to our emergency preparedness hub with lots of free resources and downloads.

 

P  for PETS | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Leave no one behind in an emergency or disaster and this also goes for your pets or animals. We have a special page for Emergency Preparedness with Pets so head right over.

 

Q  for QUESTIONS   | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Never stop asking questions about emergency planning and emergency preparedness. Update and upgrade your knowledge, organise and be better prepared. Be selective in the resources you trust – there is a lot of information out there and not everything is good and valid. Local is massively important so a dig through the history of your area for clues of past major incidents is a good idea as is finding out information from your Local Resilience Forum and other trustworthy specialists.

 

R for RELOCATION POINT | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Where will you go if you have to evacuate? Not just an assembly point but an alternative safe location in a more medium-term or perhaps longer term where you can find shelter and support. What do you know about evacuation shelters near where you live or work? Are there any and how well equipped are they?What are your self-reliance options? Check out the post on mass evacuation.

 

S  for SAFETY | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Always think safety first. Don’t take unnecessary risks. This is especially important in a family or small group settings that have to rely on all members. Stay alert during emergencies and always be aware of your surroundings, watching out for potential dangers. Know the difference between risk and hazards. What are likely sources of risks and hazards and how do you plan to deal with them? It’s all part of your emergency plan.

 

T  for TRAVEL  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Travel may become necessary before or in the aftermath of a disaster. Know your relocation point and how you will get there. Have your GoBag and other supplies ready. Be organised and be better prepared, have a positive attitude and keep focused. As part of your emergency preparedness plans, create checklists of items, streamline necessities and avoid junk. If you travel by car, always carry a Car Emergency Kit in addition to your other supplies.

 

U  for UNSURE | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Unsure about something? Doubt is excellent for it represents an open door, an opportunity to find out the right information from the right sources. Investigate, never stop asking questions when it comes to emergency preparedness.  Continue to upgrade and update your knowledge every day. Preparedness becomes simply part of who you are.

 

V  for VARIOUS NEEDS | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Children at different ages have different needs from young adults, the middle aged or seniors so you will have to think carefully what capacities and capabilities your emergency preparedness has to cover under which circumstances. It’s not as daunting as it sounds, however. There is already a lot you know and much you have and can do. Visit our preparedness hub for resources and downloads and get started.

 

W  for WEATHER | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Being weather aware means you will see it coming and can plan and act accordingly. Early warning systems are pretty good these days for major weather events depending on where in the world you are. Simply keeping an eye on the news or your favourite weather app will keep you in the loop. In addition, include diverse weather (not just severe storms) in your safe evacuation scenarios for it’s an entirely different matter in midsummer heat, deep winter snow freeze or during heavy rains or storms.

 

X   for Xerox copy | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Vital information such as IDs, insurance, inventories, accounts etc. should always have one or several hard copies in safe places as well as digital backups.

 

Y  for YOU CAN DO THIS!  | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

If you feel you are becoming overwhelmed remind yourself that you are capable of doing extraordinary things.  Focus on the next minute, the next five, the next hour and just keep going.  Most importantly BE PREPARED! Join the race where everyone wins:

    … and finally …..    

Z  for ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE | ABC of Emergency Preparedness

Yes, you heard right! The joke goes that if you are better prepared for a ‘zombie apocalypse’ then you are pretty much prepared for anything.

source: https://www.cdc.gov/images/campaigns/emergency/zombies2_300x250.jpg

If it takes that kind of Hollywood fantasy to create interest in emergency preparedness then why not? Let’s go for it. After all, this particular notion even exercises serious scientists who study how disease spreads. Take a look yourself and have a go at ‘Zombietown’ a disease dynamics simulation by physicists Alexander Alemi, Matthew Bierbaum, Christopher Myers and James Sethna of Cornell University and  take a look at Leicester University or get stuck in with the CDC:


I hope you enjoyed this ABC of Emergency Preparedness. Happy Easter and good luck with your personal plans for being better prepared. 

Monika   

For more Resilience Blog simply use the right hand navigation. For emergency kits and practical resources use the top navigation. For more on Emergency+Disaster Preparedness head over to our FREE resources at the Preparedness Hub and find out why we use humour. If you like this post, please share it to help raise awareness for Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. Thank you!

 thank you for sharing!

 

For more EVAQ8 blog simply use the right hand navigation. For emergency kits and practical resources use the top navigation. For FREE resources head over to our Preparedness Hub and find out why we use humour. If you like this post, please share it to help raise awareness for Emergency and Disaster Preparedness. Thank you!

Find EVAQ8 on social media, like and follow us!

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Modern Emergency Food Storage – Household Preparedness for everyone is as easy as 1 – 2 – 3

Sometimes it’s easier to simply show rather than tell and so before I get a bit deeper into what modern emergency food storage looks like and why it makes sense for everybody here are some context images from our twitter feed:

My earlier What Disaster –Why Preparedness post explains that while defining what exactly a ‘disaster’ is not so straight forward, preparedness (see 5Ps and 5Cs) on the other hand is. Naturally, modern emergency food storage is part of preparedness and taps into food security which is not only a topic for developing countries but for anyone faced with increasing natural and man-made emergencies and disasters that impact our supply chains (see see Prepare for a world that’s more than 2° C warmer). Do have a good look at the food security page because it gives a lot of detail information from which to build your own emergency food storage strategy – and what exactly is that? Just like there is a preparedness 1 – 2 – 3 : get a kit, make a plan, be informed, there is  

Modern Emergency Food Storage Strategy is as easy as  1 – 2 – 3

Everyone is different and everyone’s needs and wants are different. Therefore your modern emergency food storage strategy starts with an appraisal and analysis: 

1 Emergency Food Strategy: How many ? That’s people and animals

Covering for just two or an extended family or even neighbourhood makes a difference not only in how much you will have to store but also affects your purchasing power to buy more advantageously in bulk. Preparedness for pets is a whole other story.

2 Emergency Food Strategy : What nutritional needs?

Age and health status affects your choice of how much and what kind of emergency food you want to store. The Food Security page has a United Nations table as a guideline but keep in mind that these are minimum requirements to survive, not necessarily thrive.  Preparedness for the elderly is a separate topic also looked at in the post Preparedness and older people as is caring for the very young.

3 Emergency Food Strategy : How long? Hours, days, months; staying in one place or several locations?

 

Short-term emergency food storage

…typically means 72 hour self-sufficiency as is typically recommended i.e. for your GoBag or so called emergency grab bag in case of emergency evacuation. For shelter-in-place situations most households can usually cover this without many problems. While you may suffer fridge and freezer food losses due to prolonged power outages,  most households contain dry goods that can be prepared without gas or electric and eaten even if your access to clean water is compromised (see water purification). If you’re interested  to ‘upgrade’ in this area take a look at the self-heating meals.  They are particularly well suited giving you maximum output with minimum effort on top of being relatively lightweight for transport as well as compact for food storage.  


Medium-term emergency food storage

… can be several days to many weeks. Here you need to seriously start looking at energy and nutritional quality requirements. You also need to consider activity levels and climate as well as special dietary requirements, i.e.