BASIC ESSENTIALS IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS
Disaster or a sudden threat can lead us to the need to evacuate and deal with the emergency situation immediately. Preparation especially in peacetime is of vital
importance.
The essentials in categories that we need to have in emergencies to survive natural disasters, war, bankruptcy, etc. are water, food, first aid kit, personal hygiene items, clothing and bedding, tools, and special items, according to the American Red Cross.
Let's take a closer look at some basic categories…
Weather, earthquake, bankruptcy, war
There are seven categories of items that must be stored in your home in case of
emergencies such as earthquake, extreme weather, bankruptcy, war, etc.
The basic items include:
Water, food, first aid kit, personal hygiene items, clothing and bedding, tools and
special items
Water-
Maintain a supply of water for at least three days (two litres for human needs, two
litres for each person in our home for food preparation/cleaning).
Food-
Store non-perishable food for at least three days' needs. Choose food that does not
require refrigeration, preparation or cooking, and little or no water. Choose food that is
small and light in weight.
First Aid Kit | Medical supplies and medicines
Prepare a First Aid kit for your home and one for each of your cars.
The First Aid kit should include:
✔ Sterile adhesive bandages in various sizes (Hansaplast)
✔ Safety pins in various sizes
✔ Soap
✔ LATEX gloves (2 pairs)
✔ Sunscreen
✔ 2-inch sterile gauze (4-6)
✔ 4-inch sterile gauze (4-6)
✔ Triangular bandages (3)
✔ 2-inch bandages (3 rolls)
✔ 10 cm wide elastic bandages (3 rolls)
✔ Scissors
✔ Tweezers
✔ Needle
✔ Wet wipes
✔ Antiseptic (Betadine - liquid and paste)
✔ Thermometer
✔ Tongue depressors (2)
✔ Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
✔ Natural saline (in ampoules and 500cc bottle)
✔ Pure alcohol
✔ Over-the-counter medicines (paracetamol, ammonia, antihistamines)
✔ Some painkillers not containing aspirin
✔ Anti-diarrhoea medicines
✔ Medicines for stomach upset (antacids)
✔ Liquid ammonia
✔ Anti-stamine ointment (for insect bites and stings, rashes)
✔ Ipecac syrup (used to induce vomiting in case of poisoning)
✔ Activated charcoal (used to bind the poison in case of poisoning) according to the
instructions of the Poison Control Centre
✔ Treatment drugs
**For family members who follow a systematic (daily) medication regimen, the
prescription medication must be available for one week.
It is also important in emergency evacuation situations to know how to navigate by any
possible means.
Loss of orientation in an unfamiliar area may lead us into a difficult and dangerous
situation. If we do not have a compass or GPS to help us find the direction that will lead
us back to our root, we can make use of nature itself and the signs of orientation that
exist in it.
With the rising and setting of the sun.
We all know that in the early morning hours the sun rises in the east and disappears at
the end of the day towards the west. This is the simplest method of orientation, except
that it may not be useful in the middle of the day.
With the help of the wind.
It is customary, the north wind coming from the north side is also colder. As opposed to
the south wind, which is the hottest. So if we notice that the wind that blows has the
characteristics that we have mentioned, we may find the direction we should take.
By observing the rocks.
The sun during the day is directed from east to west from the south side of the sky. So
on the rocks, the side facing south is more exposed to the sun's rays than the side
facing north. As a result if we observe to see a difference in the coloring of the rocks
with the north side being darker due to moisture.
With moss and lichens, on the trunk of a tree.
The same phenomenon that we see in the rocks can be seen in the trunks of trees
where due to moisture we will again see moss and lichen growing on the side facing
north.
Observing an anthill.
Ants, to protect their nest from the cold air, make a mound of soil on the north side of
the hole. This of course does not happen in all ant nests, it is something that is mostly
found in areas with cold northerly winds.
When disaster strikes, or when the system goes down, there are two things that are
immediately necessary:
➢ Get out of the area and
➢ Get out of there quickly.
Survival in the wild also requires the proper equipment to be prepared for anything.
First aid items, as well as hygiene and health care items, utensils and accessories to
ensure you have food and water in any situation, fire and heating items, waterproof
materials, and camouflage materials for cover and concealment are essential for the
survival journey. Αnother time I will tell you some basic guidelines in case of survival in
biological warfare.
*Always be prepared
**Refresh your knowledge
***And stay safe
and to contribute together, for a safer community, for a safer tomorrow
By Magdalini M.O Athanasiou
Official Member of IPO Section Greece
