All bad things happen to other people, is how we start out life, until we know better. Prevention does not want to feed paranoia, simply wants to help you stay prepared. Here’s some expert advice and coping skills that you can adopt to tide over even small (and big) emergencies. Let’s hope you never need this.

Most of us take planning a little easy.

Here’s a checklist inspired by the NGO SRISTI (The Society for Research and Initiatives for Sustainable Technologies and Institution), which has disaster management experience:

towel comb ¦ nail clipper ¦ soap ¦ toothbrush and toothpaste ¦ scissors ¦ needle ¦ thread ¦ buttons and hooks ¦ sanitary towels ¦ adult diapers (for the elderly) ¦ insect repellent and matches (during disasters, electricity is often cut off) ¦ sterile gauze ¦ bandage ¦ antibiotic ointment ¦ painkiller ¦ antacid ¦ oral rehydration salts ¦ anti-diarrhea tablets ¦ antiseptic liquid ¦ crepe bandage ¦ medicines for those with diabetes, blood pressure, asthma etc ¦ chlorine tablets to purify water ¦ umbrella Pack these in plastic.

KID KIT

FOR AN INFANT:
Disposable diapers ¦ Cloth diapers and diaper pins ¦ 2 shirts ¦ 1 sweater ¦ 2 receiving blankets ¦ towel ¦ mug FOOD AND WATER ¦ Dry food like puffed rice and biscuit packets.
Planning ahead and staying prepared helps you address the reality that life can be unpredictable, and sometimes, uncomfortable. Safety precautions are not just a woman’s prerogative: discuss and plan with the family. Identify the different exigencies your area is vulnerable to.

Each emergency requires a different game plan to tackle (see box). Plan diverse situations such as getting children back from school. If you have several dependents, assign responsibilities.
The older child can look after a pet, while you look after a younger child.

SNIGGER TRIGGER
Of a random sample of 65 respondents carried out by Prevention, barely three had any plan. What keeps us from getting a plan together? For some, it is optimism: the belief that disasters, like diseases, happen to other people. There is also a collective nonchalance that prevents those who are concerned from getting a little safety nest together.

ROUTINE STUFF
Make some safety measures
routine. In public transport and public places, glance around you and under your seat for unclaimed baggage. At movie halls, carry a torch if your cell phone has no light. Note emergency exits. Make sure your home is safe. Rear exits need to be clutter-free and the staircase, well lit and clean.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Pack non-perishable food.


Carry your wallet, with your credit cards when you leave home. Photocopy major financial documents and keep in your emergency bag with copies of birth certificates, school leaving examination certificates, vault keys, emergency numbers, and ATM password and pension papers. Post one batch to a parent or a sibling in another city or email yourself. So do phones— mobile or wired.

COLLECTIVE CONCERN
People in high rises share problems. Too serious for any government to battle alone. He advises you check if your building has an EQR (earthquake resistant) certificate. If not, consult experts to try and improve the safety quotient. Find out how you can get one if you are building a house.

THINK TOGETHER, STAY SAFE
Impress upon your Residents’ Welfare Association to hold training sessions and set up a committee to handle crises. Identify large and small hospitals and clinics in your area. Keep a list of doctors, nurses, paramedics and even medical
students in the building, with their contact numbers. Train volunteers in firefighting, first aid, earthquake and flood emergencies. When parking is also in the basement, you can be marooned. Ask your housing society to make provisions for a couple of high-floor vehicles to be parked on the ground floor.

PET PROTECTION
Pets can get left behind in an emergency. A little preparedness may help you take your pet along. If you have a dog, keep the leash near the exit. Keep a few days worth of food, water and any medicine on hand for your pet. Also keep his anti-rabies certificate handy. Never tie them if you leave them alone indoors. It is ideal never to leave a pet at home alone, anyway.

IN THE THICK OF THINGS
The rush of adrenalin in an emergency is nature’s way of setting off your survival instincts. Try not to panic, since that can send conflicting messages to the brain.

EARTHQUAKE
* Duck under furniture or under a beam. Don’t stand near exterior walls or windows; they may keel out.
* Never use the lift. Run down the stairs if you are not too high above the ground. Remember the emergency bag.

RAINS AND FLOODS
* As heavy rains start, check drains: if clogged with plastic, pull out as much as you can.
* Switch off the mains.
* If you are on the ground floor, prop valuables on plastic-wrapped bricks or on higher furniture.
* If you must walk through flooded streets, find your way with a stick to spot open manholes.
* Remember power back-up, emergency lights, candles and match boxes since power is switched off.

FIRE
* Switch off lights.
* Switch off the gas. If you have time, wrap the cylinder in a wet rug.
* Round up your family, including the pet, picks up your emergency bag. Find your way out.

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