Preparing for a disaster - a personal responsibility

Man walks through the flood water in Jakarta, Indonesia, Jan. 18, 2014. Photo Credit: Xinhua/Agung Kuncahya B.

There are are many ways to prepare for a disaster. We have seen many helpful ideas how to prepare yourself, family and family pets. But how often do we listen and follow advice from civil protection agency's such as the Red Cross, St. John's Ambulance, and just about every Emergency Management Office on the planet. And when we do listen, do we actually execute and gather supplies for use? Turns out, we don't. After the 2014 Spring Balkan Floods hit Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia, the level of personal preparedness was clearly lacking and evident across all three countries. Frederic Jakobi has written this article for those that procrastinate and need to put a real preparedness kit together. Your version may vary, but you get the idea. Based on personal experience it addresses key items we tend to miss. It is always the little things that can pay big dividends.

This article was prepared by Frederic Jakobi in his personal capacity. The opinions expressed in this article are the author's own and do not reflect the view of the German Deutsches Heer (Army), or any Ministry of the Federal Republic of Germany. After completing Officer Candidates School, Federic has served in the Air Assault Infantry Regiment 1 as a squad leader. His studies include history and political science at the university of the federal armed forces in Hamburg, Germany.

In addition to his academic achievements, he has participated in the NATO exercise Peregrine Sword 2012 as part of the German-Netherland corps as a G3 staff officer in a multinational brigade. He has also participated in the Summer Academy of the Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance and a bachelor thesis about blackouts in Germany. He currently serves in the Light Infantry in the German Army.

Individual Preparedness for Disasters 

When a disaster strikes, or a crisis occurs the world we live in changes dramatically. Even though they are unlikely to happen, they can propose a huge threat to our way of life. The reason for this is quite simple: The impact of disasters on modern societies is very high. With all of the interdependence's within our critical infrastructures, the failure of even one of these components has strong effects on the others. Without running water, the luxury of showering daily, and various other aspects of maintaining hygiene become a luxury, additionally often posing health risks as a consequence. In our modern world, most supermarkets do not store large amounts of goods, because it is simply too expensive to store them, making us dependent on “just in time” delivery. We live in a world where it is possible to buy things at all times. Pharmacies and grocery stores are open nearly 24/7 and we trust this system to work. But we are taking a huge risk there, and must ask ourselves one question:

What happens if critical infrastructures fail and the world that we know changes dramatically, even if it is just for a couple of hours?

First responders have a high level of training, but they cannot be everywhere at the same time. Many disaster relief organizations need a lot of time till they can deploy into a disaster area. Mostly in widespread disasters it can take up to days till first responders will be able to provide water, food, electricity and shelter. As a consequence of that fact, which we can see every single time a disaster strikes, people try to prepare themselves for whatever might happen. This precaution is known under the name “urban survival.”

In this article, I will discuss 3 different approaches of disaster preparation. It is possible to just use one or two of them alone, but combining all the three of them will have the best outcome for all the possible events that might happen.

My home is my castle – Supplies and preparations at home

Our homes are where we feel the most safe and secure; it is the place where we can rest, eat and sleep. In case of a crisis, it makes sense that all the things we might need are already there. If we focus on our homes and try to see it as a protective shelter instead of the temple of relaxation, there are things we have to keep in mind.

5000 Watt Generator, 20 Litre petrol tank. Photo Credit: DDRS

During the early stages of disasters, it is a common thing that people buy groceries at the last possible moment, an action that is very dangerous. The fear drives people into stores, the chance of getting in a scuffle or not getting the needed goods might be relatively high. Those situations can easily be avoided by being prepared.

Every individual should figure out what the most essential things are, that need to be stored. This highly depends on the circumstances, where you live, what neighborhood you have and what threats you might want to prepare for. Below, I will discuss some essentials.

The Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) in Germany recommends that every household store medical equipment, food and water supplies for a period of 14 days.

Water

Water is one of the most essential things to have in the time of a disaster. Water is not just important for drinking, but also for personal hygiene and food preparation. The BBK has come to the conclusion that for every person in your household you need 14 liters of water a week; however, I do not agree with this calculation – the need for drinking water depends on the circumstances you are facing. During a hot day in the summer, one should drink at least 4 liters per day to stay hydrated. A thing that people sometimes forget is the fact that you also need water to wash your hands and body and also to cook.

Water / Beverages	Weather/ Temperatures	Amount/day	Amount/ two weeks	Notes
Drinking water	4C°- 20C° (spring/fall)	2 – 3 liters/day	28 – 42 liters
Drinking water	< 4C° (winter)	3 – 4 liters/day	42 – 56 liters
Drinking water	> 20C° (summer)	4 – 8 liters/day	56 – 112 liters	Depending on workload
Service water	N/A	1 – 2 liters/day	14 – 28 liters	Shower / hand washing
Cooking water	N/A	1 – 2 liters/day	14 – 28 liters	Depending on meals

These numbers are only a suggestion, as the amount of water you should drink depends on so many factors that it is up to each and every one of you to decide how much water you should drink per day. A good way of finding out whether you are hydrated enough is the “urine check”. This check is really easy: you check the color of your urine; the darker it is, the more water you need to drink. A bright yellow is the optimal colour as you can see in the chart below.

Photo Credit: DNA Sports Performance

Food

The need for food is not as important as the need for water. Researchers have shown that the human body is able to exist with no food for a period of three weeks. Needless to say, it is not recommended to starve for this amount of time. The body needs energy in order to function properly, both mentally and physically. The average human needs 2,500 kcal per day. It is important for the human body to have a variety of different food groups in a meal. 

Combat Rations like MREs (Meal Ready to Eat) are good options when it comes to emergency food supplies. The US MRE includes a self-heating chemical bag, which can be used to heat the food. It can also be eaten as a cold dish; and cans are very useful because you can store them for quite some time. It makes sense to have a storage concept, so that you are able to eat the older cans before the new ones.

Food Group	Amount / two weeks	Notes
Corn, wheat, bread, rice, potatoes, noodles	4,9 Kg
Vegetables, legumes	5,6 Kg	Canned legumes do not need as much water as dry products!
Fruits, nuts	3,6 Kg	Canned fruits have a longer shelf-live as fresh fruits!
Milk, milk products	3,7 Kg	Might require a fridge/ freezer.
Meat, fish, eggs, dried egg	2,1 Kg	Might require a fridge/ freezer.
Fats, oils	0,5 Kg
Other things		Sugar, salt, MREs, canned goods, cookies, instant food

BBK checklist - Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance: Ratgeber für Notfallvorsorge und richtiges Handeln in Notsituationen ( How to be prepared for an emergency), Bonn 2013.

First Aid

During a disaster it is important to be independent; therefore one should have all the medicine that is needed at home to cover two weeks without resupply. This is even more important for people who have health conditions of any sort. As with all the other supplies the first aid kit needs to be used by you, so it is you who needs to think about what you might need and what you are able to use.

Photo Credit: DDRS

A common first aid kit with bandages, gloves, and gauze might be a good start for your personal first aid kit. You can upgrade this existing kit with additional material. A wide range of drugs like painkillers, anti-diarrhea-medication, anti-cold-medication and antiseptics can be a valuable asset in case of an emergency or a disaster. Things like tourniquets, chest seals, stiff-necks, tubes, and splints can help to increase the survivability of the individual and the household or neighborhood. In modern pre-hospital trauma life support, the first hour after a heavy injury is called the “golden hour.” During this time, it is critical that the patient gets medical care; otherwise the chances of surviving sink dramatically. More important than the “golden hour” is the new term, the “platinum five minutes.” This means that the importance of immediate medical attention is very high, therefore it makes sense to have an advanced first aid kit with you in your “bug-out bag” / “break away kit” / “escape and evasion bag” or “get home bag”.

A common first aid kit with bandages, gloves, and gauze might be a good start for your personal first aid kit. You can upgrade this existing kit with additional material. A wide range of drugs like painkillers, anti-diarrhea-medication, anti-cold-medication and antiseptics can be a valuable asset in case of an emergency or a disaster. Things like tourniquets, chest seals, stiff-necks, tubes, and splints can help to increase the survivability of the individual and the household or neighborhood. In modern pre-hospital trauma life support, the first hour after a heavy injury is called the “golden hour.” During this time, it is critical that the patient gets medical care; otherwise the chances of surviving sink dramatically. More important than the “golden hour” is the new term, the “platinum five minutes.” This means that the importance of immediate medical attention is very high, therefore it makes sense to have an advanced first aid kit with you in your “bug-out bag” / “break away kit” / “escape and evasion bag” or “get home bag”.

Hygiene

In order to prevent the outbreak of diseases, a level of hygiene should always be maintained. One should have soap and toothpaste to cover two days. A lack of hygiene can have critical effects on your body and might cause certain illness. If you have spare water, you can use it to flush your toilets; even if no running water is available, toilets work as long as you keep flushing them. In the early stages of a disaster, it is important to fill all available containers with water. Bathtubs, sinks, and buckets are ideal for storing water. But remember: you can’t use bathtubs, sinks and showers while you use them to store water!

Power failure – what now?

During a blackout, there are four main topics that are important to talk about: Light, heat, electronic gadgets and other people’s reactions during an event like that. Light is a minor topic because it can be taken care of easily with flashlights and candles, however the need for light and vision is important for all kind of labour and to identify dangers.

Chemlights can give off light for several hours, and although they are not bright, they are enough to mark special areas, like doors and stairs. It is especially important to think about heat, as winter temperatures might cause a quick drop in the temperature inside your house. One of the first measures that can be taken is appropriate clothing. A fireplace is an ideal option to produce heat and gives you the possibility to cook your food. Remember though, to make sure that there is enough wood or coal stored in your house. Without electricity, your home appliances will not work, which gives you two options: You can produce your own electric power with a generator, or improvise.

It is necessary to figure out what appliances you need to use during a disaster. Freezers can keep their temperature without power for several hours, as long as you keep them closed. Generators need to be maintained and fuel needs to be available - generators should always be placed outside because when heated, they produce exhaust gases. If you don’t have a generator, improvisation comes in handy. For cooking meals, you might want to use a barbecue, a fireplace, or a camping cooker. Don’t forget to store gas cartridges if you want to use camping cookers. Be aware that you should never try to make a campfire inside a building, because it is a huge threat to your health and your house. People react to disasters and other unexpected events in various ways. Some might be afraid, while other may become violent or even aggressive.

In his paper “When the lights went out – A history of Blackouts in America”, David Nye compared the reactions of the people of New York during two different blackouts, one in 1965 and another in 1977.(1) During the 1965 13-hour blackout, people reacted very calmly and seemed almost happy about the disaster: “There was much laughter, and as they came down the stairs of the great office buildings in little night processions led by men with flashlights and candles, people held hands with those they could not see” Just 12 years later, another blackout occurred in New York; but the citizens’ reactions were different than what was observed 12 years ago: “Parts of the city erupted in arson, looting and riots”. (2)

(1) Wainwright Junior, Louden: A dark night to remember in: Life Magazine 19. November 1965, p 35.

(2) Nye, David: When the lights went out – A history of Blackouts in America, Camebridge/ London 2010, p 105.

But why did the situation change so dramatically in just 12 years?

Nye sees the social and financial situation of the citizens as the reason for change. As long as the people are happy and employed, they can overcome situations like blackouts easily, but if the social situation is bad and many people are poor and have a lack of hope, violence is often the a part of the population’s reaction.

Depending on the situation, it might be necessary to prepare for looters. Take a look at your home from a looters perspective, find your weak spots and try to fortify your house. Most looters look for easy and lucrative targets, so try not to look like a worthwhile target and conceal your supplies. Under those circumstances it makes sense to have weapons at hand: Baseball bats and shovels can be used as improvised weapons. As long as you stay at home, you can protect your supplies and minimize the risk being attacked by looters and troublemakers.

The everyday-carry concept

The idea behind this concept is that you carry some of the things that you might need during a disaster with you at all times. You can’t carry everything with you so you have to prioritize your gear. If you take a look at all the things you carry with you every time you leave your home, you will see that even without knowing about the every-day-carry concept, you already make sure you have everything you need for the day.

With just some adjustments, you can increase your ability to survive, adapt, and overcome dangerous situations and disasters. The everyday-carry is one part of your gear that will make sure that you will reach your home and you domestic supplies. Below, you can see a picture of my everyday-carry items.

• A 1 liter bottle for cold and warm beverages. 
• A neck pouch to carry my passport, my vaccination passport, a small amount of cash in two different currencies (€ / $) and important documents during trips abroad. 
• A standard 0.5 liter water bottle for hydration. 
• My Leatherman MUT multi-tool can be used for various things and has multiple tools combined, the pocket can be used to attach it to a molle webbing or a belt. 
• The wallet with my ID, drivers license and cash is always part of my everyday carry. It is recommended to always carry cash with you. Sometimes electronic transactions and ATMs won’t work. 
• The next item is a paracord (550-cord) bracelet that might be used as one 7 meter long piece of cord. 550-cord is very reliable and rugged. 
• Keys are part of most EDCs to have access to your home and vehicle. 
• A phone (picture shows example) is an important part of every EDC, it is not just your way of communicating with other people, but it gives you the possibility to take pictures and share them with the community. 

Alerts can also warn you about imminent dangers in your area via an app or text. I always carry a snack with me, energy bars are very useful for this task, because of their huge amount of energy.

The Bug-Out Bag

Photo credit: DDRS

This bag is an addition to the individual everyday-carry and can have multiple functions. The main function is to support your efforts to get to your personal safe-haven. It supplements your everyday-carry and has more space in it. It makes sense to have a first aid kit in your bug-out bag, A small amount of food and water for a maximum of 48 hours should be part of this kit, the Meal-Ready-to-Eat is a compact possibility for that. A flashlight is a helpful item during night, electricity blackouts or poor sight.

As an example, you can see my bug-out bag (5.11 Tactical Rush Moab Series.) It is important that the bag is not too big; otherwise it will become too heavy very easily. On the left side of the picture, you can see a tourniquet mounted to the bag as part of the advanced first aid kit and on the right side of the picture you can see a flashlight hanging from the side. Another great function of a bug-out bag is the possibility to use it as an emergency bag, if, for example, a broken gas pipe forces you to leave your home on short notice you can just grab your bug-out bag. For those kinds of emergencies, it makes sense to have a pouch with documents inside, including your passport and copies of all other important documents. Another thing to consider is including appropriate clothing to keep you warm and dry. Sturdy shoes like boots will protect your feet.

Photo Credit: DDRS

I have shown and explained the three parts of urban survival, the safe-haven preparation, the everyday carry concept and the bug-out bag. It is up to each individual to figure out how one should prepare for a disaster. This article can just give a short overview, preparations need some time and money, but in the end it is worth it! You should make yourself familiar with your gear and equipment so that you are able to use it under stress or in difficult circumstances. What I want you to do is not to do everything exactly as I do, but that every one of you thinks about your own needs, threats and preparations. Do not wait until first responders arrive to support you and your loved ones, take care of yourselves and prepare for the next disaster; that we hope will never happen!

  

Take care of those people who have not prepared themselves and spread the message!

Frederic Jakobi is Digital Disaster Relief Support's volunteer (follow us on Twitter @DDRSNGO) lead for Civilian - Military Cooperation in Europe.