PREPARING FOR CRISIS SITUATIONS TOGETHER WITH YOUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY

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crisis

How to prepare for crisis with your family?

  • Be aware of which crisis situations may endanger you, what their impact is on your everyday life, and how to prepare for them together.
  • Talk through how to behave in different situations. For example:
    • do all family members know when and how to call for help;
    • in which situations is it definitely necessary to leave the home and in which situations must one remain indoors;
    • where can you go temporarily in case of danger (neighbours, friends, relatives, to the countryside, summer cottage);
  • Make sure that all of your family members know how to turn off the water or gas, and switch off the power.
  • Make sure that all of your family members know where the more important tools are, which may be needed in case of an emergency, for example, what should be taken along when leaving home or what supplies you should have at home.
  • Consider whether your relatives or acquaintances need help in certain crisis situations and agree on how to maintain contact.
  • Think about how to take care of your pets in different crisis situations.

How to prepare for a crisis together with your neighbours and community

  • Get acquainted with your neighbours and exchange phone numbers.
  • Find out who the key persons are in your community.
  • Together with the key individuals in your community determine the dangers in your region and the impact of disruptions to vital services. Consider how to be better prepared for them together (such as joint purchasing of a power generator, water pump, fire extinguishing equipment and other tools).
  • Determine together which members of the community who will require outside assistance in crisis situations.
  • Agree on the procedure for notifying community members about the hazard and the mutual exchange of information in a crisis situation. Consider how you can help each other (incl. those who need outside assistance – elderly living alone, disabled persons, etc.).

How to plan and keep your domestic reserves

  • Determine which tools and reserves your family needs to cope independently for one week. Take into consideration the possibility that due to a crisis situation you cannot leave home, goods are not available at shops, and other vital services are not functioning (electricity, water supply, etc.).
  • Think about where and how to store your stockpile to ensure that it can be easily accessed by you and your family.
  • It is advisable to pack supplies that are not used every day in a separate bag
  • It is reasonable to keep some of the supplies necessary for evacuation in your car, such as a mobile charger, road map, snow shovel.
  • Update your supplies regularly.
  • When stocking-piling any combustible material (such as liquid fuel, gas, firewood), follow the fire safety regulations and conditions for their storage.

What should you stockpile at home

DRINKING WATER

  • If you are not able to use the central domestic water in the event of a disruption to the water supply, store drinking water in the amount of at least 2 litres per person per day and water for cooking in the amount of 1 litre per person per day.
  • Keep the drinking water in a sealed glass or plastic package in a cool and dark room.
  • For drinking water bought in a sealed package, follow the storage times.
  • If you get a notice of water disruption in advance, store tap water in a clean and sealable container. You may keep it in a cool and dark place for up to one week.

FOOD

  • Keep at least a one-week food supply for your family at home.
  • When storing food, take into consideration the special needs of all family members (allergy, food intolerance, food for small children, etc.).
  • Store food that allows for a varied diet. Make sure that the food supply contains enough carbohydrates, fat, proteins and fibres.
  • Make sure that half of the food supply does not need any preparation (canned food, crackers, biscuits, nuts, dried fruit, muesli bars, sweets, etc.).
  • Stockpile food products that can be kept at room temperature. Favour food that can be stored for at least six months.
  • Keep the reserves in a dry place. Make sure that the packages of reserves are strong and moisture proof.

FIRST AID SUPPLIES AND MEDICINES

  • Keep first aid supplies and such medicines at home, which you know how to use.
  • Fill multiple prescriptions for drugs or other regularly used medicines, so that you have at a least one-week stockpile at home.
  • Stockpile medicines at home that you might need in case of sudden illness (such as painkillers, antipyretics, drugs for digestive problems, drugs for cold and allergy, burn care products).
  • Check the expiry dates of medicines on a regular basis and, if necessary, replace them with newer ones.

PERSONAL HYGIENE

  • Soap, wet wipes, sanitizers
  • Toilet and kitchen paper
  • Large garbage bags with a capacity of 50 l
  • Other personal hygiene preparations pursuant to the needs of family members

POWER BANK FOR CHARGING MOBILE DEVICES

  • Power bank, keep it charged.
    • If possible, buy a solar-powered power bank or a charger with a crank.
    • In a crisis situation, use the power bank only if you cannot charge the devices with electricity.

BATTERY-POWERED RADIO

  • Battery-powered radio and spare batteries for multiple use. Also, a solar battery or dynamo powered radio fits.
    • Check on a regular basis the expiry dates of spare batteries and, if necessary, replace them with newer ones.
    • Do not keep batteries inside the radio, if not used regularly.

MATCHES AND CANDLES

  • Candles and matches for multiple use
  • Candle lantern, gas burner, camping stove or outdoors grill device, which can be used for giving light as well as heat or cooking
    • Only purchase those items that are suitable for use at home.

FLASHLIGHT AND SPARE BATTERIES

  • Flashlight and spare batteries for multiple use. Also, a solar battery or dynamo powered flashlight fits.
  • Battery-powered lamp or lantern, which can be used as flood lamp.

TOOLS AND CUTLERY

  • Can opener
  • Disposable dishes
  • Pocket knife
  • Scissors
  • Tape and film

OTHER RESERVES:

  • Mask for the protection of respiratory (such as dust mask)
  • Cash to cover the family needs for one week
  • Fire extinguisher and blanket
  • Pet food
  • Car fuel (keep the fuel tank always at least half-full)
  • Other reserves and supplies, which are necessary for the family

WORTH KNOWING

  • In a crisis situation every person must get 1900 kcal of energy per day and children up to 2 years of age 1000 kcal per day.
  • The body’s need for water is 28–35 ml per each kg of body weight.
  • It is recommended that the following food be stockpiled for an adult:
    • different canned food (fish, meat, mixed and leguminous canned food);
    • instant soups, instant purees, and cereals, which are easy to prepare;
    • ready to eat pasta, vegetable, cereal or leguminous dishes with meat, which can be also consumed without being heated up;
    • cereal (crispbread, salty or neutral cracker);
    • food rich in carbohydrates (biscuits, caramel, canned fruits, dried fruits, halva, honey, condensed milk).
    • View the recommendations given on the website of the Ministry of Rural Affairs on how to stockpile food for a crisis situation, by searching on the Internet for the keywords “Maaeluministeerium” (Ministry of Rural Affairs) and “kriisireguleerimine” (crisis management).
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