How can you determine the appropriate amount of emergency supplies?

COVID lockdown was a game changer for us. We were suddenly faced with international staff members in countries that are completely benign facing challenges akin to conflict areas. National staff members were able to find coping mechanism whereas some of our international colleagues had real challenges often due to language issues. Access to food and water was the main issue. We are now recommending that all our residences have at least 14 days worth of food and water in stock. The recent conflict in Khartoum also reinforced this with the added issue of failure of power supply and the dire consequences of this on communications. We are now also pushing hard for staff to travel with portable solar panels & good power-banks.

Prepare for emergencies by understanding your area's risks (floods, etc.) and tailoring supplies to your household (number of people, ages, and any special needs). Aim for 1 gallon of water per person per day for 3 days, 3 hours of shelter, and a 3-week supply of non-perishable food. This is a starting point, adjust based on your specific needs.

Europe regulations COMAH regs require operators to identify Major Accident Hazards From them complete credible scenario works sheets Then ERPs for each scenario need to be generated A consequence model will determine the heat contours 6.3 Kw zone for firefighters safety & 32Kw zone for dominoe effect They will define the Strategy ( Key actions for first 20-30 mins of incident Burn down calculator ( how long the fire will burn unmitigated) also foam & water cals for 60 min attack On the reverse of the plan a three tiered response First responders personnel who discover the incident Second responders personnel who are on site who respond to carry out emergency response actions Third responders cat 1 responders as per IP 19 guidance

Pour déterminer la quantité appropriée de fournitures d'urgence, évaluez les risques spécifiques à votre région, comme les conditions météorologiques ou les catastrophes fréquentes. Considérez la taille de votre famille, les besoins spéciaux et la durée probable de l'urgence. Prévoyez de l'eau (1 gallon par personne par jour), des aliments non périssables, une trousse de premiers soins, des médicaments, une lampe de poche, des piles, des documents importants et des articles d'hygiène. Personnalisez en fonction des besoins particuliers, comme les fournitures pour les bébés ou les animaux de compagnie. Mettez à jour régulièrement vos fournitures pour rester prêt.

Homeland security at one time recommended having enough supplies to keep 10 customers for 2 weeks. Be sure to add enough supplies for customer needs and their service pets.

It is always safe to be over supplied for emergency situations. If you are stocking your emergency supply for personal/household needs, evaluate your house, have a family meeting (especially if you have small children). Yes, you can follow the rules of three concept as a starting point but do not stop there.

Acts of Gods, especially eartquakes or floods, the supplies that you keep in your house could not be used. Because of the emergency situation and hazard in the buildings, people left the their houses immediately and could not come back to receive their supplies, if they can, they may only take their emergency small bags.

Your exact needs are always going to be driven by the actual hazard(s) you may be prone to experience. Unfortunately, many automatically assume they need to prepare for the end of the world when really all most of us need to do is make sure our families can 'comfortably' ride out a three-five day incident. Comfortably is in parenthesis because we need to realize we may need to make some adjustments. We may be having peanut butter and crackers for dinner instead of ribeye steak and we may be, heaven forbid, playing cards or reading a book as opposed to surfing the web or steaming videos. With some careful thought and planning you can determine exactly what your family needs to 'weather the storm.'

Based upon the nature of the event previous similar incidents statistics,geographical location and the population affected . ERP included Plan A,Planning B to meet any unexpected scenarios

These things are unmeasured in terms of how people need it now to survive but because they are not getting the public attention they are not been attended to but when the media captures it then all eyes are on it Let change our ways and extend and help for these little ones,we might not know that they will be the next future leaders who is going to find solutions to some of our biggest problems we battle with throughout our careers

This is an important part of any plan...at home or at work. The technical term for this is "Run Rate." If you can figure out how much you use of a resource, you can figure out how long you have to make a decision. If you only have water for 4 hours, you will know when you need to make a move to evacuate. You do not need a bunker of stuff...but have a plan for what you have, it may save your life.

Consumption is definitely based on each individuals location and availability of resources at the local level. A farmer will have different resource requirements than someone living in an urban environment. Assess your particular situation and determine what you need for a prolonged period of time. A farmer may have tons of resources available for food but his consumption of fuel may be a huge factor versus an urban dweller who may only have 1 weeks worth of food in their residence,,, every situation is different

By performing a “business impact analysis (BIA)” equivalent, this allows you to identify critical services and functions which need to be recovered, based on impact over time. Being able to prioritise these functions will facilitate better deployment of resources as well.

Work out consumption, work out 48hrs worth plus a third. Giving 48 hours to instigate the rescue plan. Final third rationed for extended rescue time.

Estimate daily needs for water, accounting for drinking, hygiene, and cooking. Multiply by the recommended 3-day minimum for emergency supply. Assess caloric intake per person and calculate non-perishable food accordingly, covering at least a week. Consider medical requirements and maintain a 30-day supply of essential medications. Factor in specific needs for infants, elderly, or individuals with special health considerations. Ensure basic hygiene items and sanitation supplies for cleanliness. Calculate quantities based on family size and pets. Regularly update supplies to align with consumption changes and evolving needs.

When gathering your emergency supplies make sure that you are only getting products that you know you and your family will use. While many pre-packaged products look inviting you just don't know, without actually trying them out, if they will satisfy the needs of your family when you actually need it. Also, don't buy products or supplies because they are on some list unless you actually have a need for it and know how to use it. Very few of us are trained medical technicians. Having a medical kit with surgical equipment in it won't do you any good if you don't know how to use it. Stick with what you know: OTC drugs, bandages, etc. If you want more advanced supplies then that a great reason for advanced first aid training!

The supplies would have to be periodically checked for their shelf life and accordingly stock levels reordered. Someone in the team will have to be tasked to conduct this check and reorder process.

Developing an emergency plan is free. Putting that plan into action- buying, storing and replenishing the food, water, survival equipment, radios, comms- isn't. While I'd certainly support the idea of recommending individual supply stashes, what do we do, as a system, as emergency responders, as emergency managers, for those people on fixed incomes or who are otherwise unable, or unwilling, to prepare? As well, do we prioritize limited public supplies for the public? Or for the first responders and others who are essential to care for those people? Then, at a certain point, survival becomes survival. Given human nature, I feel we'll suffer together and work together, even if there are some troublemakers.

You don't have to spend a fortune when purchasing emergency supplies. You don't need to purchase all of your supplies at once. When you visit the grocery store, consider purchasing a few extra cans of food to add to your stockpile. Many non-acidic canned foods like beans and meats have a "best by" date five years or more in the future. Many of these canned goods can last much longer with proper storage. Just spending a few dollars on extra goods like these with each trip to the grocery store can lead to a great emergency stockpile of food over time.

Evaluate potential emergencies and tailor supplies accordingly. Consider family size, medical needs, and geographical risks. Options include premade emergency kits or DIY. Customize for specific needs, such as infants or pets. Stockpile non-perishable food, water, first aid, flashlight, batteries, important documents, and cash. Opt for versatile items like multi-tools and portable chargers. Be mindful of expiration dates and rotate supplies. Explore sustainable options like water purification tablets. Stay informed about local emergency protocols. Regularly review and refresh supplies to stay prepared for various scenarios.

Practice makes perfect. It also builds confidence and frees your mind from unnecessary worry. It also helps to maintain a level of ‘sharpness’ to understand the various dynamics at play.

Conduct frequent "Table Top" training with real or semi-live scenarios where the intensity and complexity of the capsules increase over time putting pressure on crisis and emergency teams to explore better and innovative solutions.

Conduct a readiness assessment by considering potential risks and duration of emergencies. Test water and food supplies for expiration. Practice evacuation routes and shelter plans. Check flashlight batteries and emergency tools. Rehearse emergency communication plans with family. Review first aid skills. Ensure familiarity with equipment like fire extinguishers. Verify that essential documents are accessible. Practice using emergency apps and tools. Conduct drills for various scenarios. Assess how well your family responds to ensure preparedness. Regularly update and adapt supplies based on test outcomes and evolving circumstances.

Regular simulation trains and creates readiness. It also highlights weak points and threats and areas to grow totemic them into oppurnity. It must be secret, it must be a surprise, at least one must be cataclysmic on scale with external stakeholders.

Conduct quarterly training with area responders. Switch up the training topics and use non-typical situations to place responders in overwhelming scenarios to test their skills in high stress situations. This will allow them to be adaptable to change in the given emergencies.

To monitor and respond to changing conditions and needs in emergency situations, establish clear communication, use technology for real-time information, conduct regular assessments, remain flexible, collaborate with other agencies, engage with affected communities, ensure responder training, establish decision-making protocols, and continuously evaluate response efforts for adjustments.

Regularly reassess and adapt emergency supplies. Stay informed about local risks and evolving family needs. Adjust quantities based on changing circumstances, like additions to the family or medical requirements. Rotate perishable items and update documents annually. Embrace technological advancements, like solar-powered chargers. Monitor expiration dates and replace expired items promptly. Be flexible in response to environmental changes impacting your region. Stay connected with community emergency plans and adjust your supplies accordingly. Flexibility and ongoing awareness are key to maintaining effective emergency preparedness.

Probably the most important of all steps. After Hurricane Katrina I was lucky enough to be deployed with the first USAR teams to hit the ground, satellite radios were inoperable. This had never happened during any previous training, I suggested scrambling satellites to assist with communication. It wasn’t a quick fix so changes were made on team communication, we stayed in ear shot of each other just in case we ran into problems. Rule of thumb plan and train for the worst but being able to adapt when necessary is extremely important.

You must always remain vigilant when adapting to change. Emergency situations can quickly get out of hand and so one must have a back up plan. Anyone can pre plan for stereo typical situations however, it is the hidden risk that arise during said emergency i.e. release of chemical liquids or gases in areas of refuge

You have to be ready for burnout, mental breakdown, psychological breakdown etc. Just be ready for change because change is inevitable in Emergency Management.

There are many checklists that provide appropriate templates to get your family- team- firm started…but preparedness activities are never “one size fits all” A best practice is to exercise the action following the collection. Use a day trip or similar activity to test your kit or a bad weather weekend. If you’re missing something, it’s better to find out prior to an emergency.

In my opinion, you need to be prepared for multiple situations and multiple durations. Examples, what you need for a natural disaster where critical infrastructure is down and you need to evacuate are quite different from a power outage caused by a storm that may only last a day or two. I also believe you need to ensure you use your supplies as part of daily life / routine so they are familiar and accessible, not stored in a box in a garage or attic. Regardless you need to plan, rehearse, and constantly evaluate your plans. Good luck.

Do not lose sight of the fact that extended emergencies may trigger social unrest and looting. Be prepared for such events with a self defense plan for you and your family. Get training and become proficient with the tools to keep everyone safe and to protect what you have in your possession.

In emergency situations the warehouses are looted mostly by disaster affected population therefore its important to have excellent access control mechanisms in place at these facilities with active participation and ownership by community for these food reserves and replenishment must take place regularly in transparent manner

All have some good points and one should consider what would work for them. There will never be a true "one size fits all" and trying to do that for Emergency Preparedness makes little sense. We tell people to plan for thier household, last time I checked no household was the same. We need to provide a number of days to prepare for and give recommendations on types of items but the individuals will need to figure out how much of each item they must store.