Emergency Preparedness ====================== Practical household emergency preparation, 72-hour kits, family plans and evacuation go-bags. Build resilience before an incident: supplies, printed instructions, a household meeting plan and regular practice. Start with what you already have, then tailor supplies for health, pets and local hazards. For immediate danger, follow your local emergency authority and evacuate when instructed. A preparedness checklist never overrides live safety directions. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 72-Hour Emergency Kit & Home Supplies ===================================== Build and maintain an emergency supply kit for power, water, heat and communications failures. IMMEDIATE RULE Prepare before services fail. In the Netherlands, plan for at least 72 hours and about 3 litres of water per person per day, then adapt for health, climate and household needs. 1. Plan the people and the time Rule: Design around your household, not a generic bag. - List every household member, visiting child, pet and person with medical or accessibility needs. - Begin with 72 hours of food, drinking water, warmth, medication and communication; adjust for heat, illness or local guidance. - Keep supplies in an accessible, dry place and tell everyone where they are. 2. Store safe drinking water Rule: Clean water is a priority. - Allocate at least 3 litres per person per day under Dutch guidance; for four people, 72 hours means 36 litres. - Add extra water for infants, pets, hot conditions and hygiene; follow local alerts when tap water is unsafe. - Use sealed, food-grade containers, mark dates and replace or inspect according to storage guidance. 3. Pack food, hygiene and health essentials Rule: Choose supplies that work without electricity. - Select shelf-stable food your household eats, plus a manual can opener and allergy-aware options. - Include regular medicines, prescriptions, first-aid supplies, sanitary products, soap and waste bags. - Plan for safe food preparation without indoor fuel-burning devices; never use outdoor grills or generators indoors. 4. Keep information and light available Rule: A kit should still work with no mobile signal. - Pack LED torches, spare batteries, a charged power bank and the correct cables. - Include a battery or hand-crank radio, printed contacts, key documents and local route maps. - Keep small amounts of cash, spare keys, warm clothing and a whistle in a waterproof pouch. 5. Inspect and practice Rule: Supplies that fail at the moment of need are not preparedness. - Check expiration dates, batteries, stored water, clothing sizes and medication requirements every few months. - Test the radio and torch, rotate food into normal household use and recharge the power bank. - Do a short no-electricity drill and record what was missing; update the kit afterwards. PRACTICE CHECKLIST [ ] Calculate the water requirement for everyone in your household. [ ] Assemble a small kit in one reachable container. [ ] Set calendar reminders to check supplies and batteries. NOTES This guide supplements, not replaces, vessel-specific training, medical training, local law, maritime authorities, official alerts and emergency responders. SOURCES Dutch government — emergency kit — https://english.denkvooruit.nl/prepare-yourself/putting-together-an-emergency-kit British Red Cross — emergency preparedness — https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies American Red Cross — make a plan — https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.html Updated 2026-11-04. Website: https://noinbox.dev/survival/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Family Emergency Contacts & Reunification Plan ============================================== Prepare meeting locations, offline contacts and communication fallback rules for separated households. IMMEDIATE RULE Write down the plan before an incident. During an immediate threat, contact local emergency services and follow official alerts rather than waiting for everyone to answer. 1. Define contacts and responsibilities Rule: Use one plan that everyone can understand. - Record emergency numbers, a trusted out-of-area contact, nearby caregivers and critical medical contacts. - Assign roles: who checks on children, who assists mobility needs and who brings essential supplies. - Place concise contact cards in bags and with trusted carers; protect private medical details. 2. Agree two safe meeting places Rule: A single location may be inaccessible. - Pick a nearby place for a local building evacuation and another place outside the immediate hazard area. - Explain how to reach each place without depending on one route or public transport. - Check that each meeting place stays appropriate under common flood, fire or extreme-weather risks. 3. Use a short check-in message Rule: Reduce confusion and battery use. - Agree on a format: name / current location / condition / time / next step. - Send concise texts to your designated contact when safe; avoid repeatedly calling every family member. - If internet messaging fails, try normal voice or SMS when available and use the written plan. 4. Prepare for low connectivity Rule: Keep a backup outside your phone. - Save maps for offline use, keep a paper map and a list of useful radio/alert sources. - Pack a charged power bank and a weather-protected copy of identification and insurance contacts. - Do not assume satellite SOS, emergency text or roaming is universally available; check device and country support in advance. 5. Rehearse and review Rule: A written plan is only useful if people know it. - Walk through a hypothetical power outage and evacuation with every household member. - Practise finding the kit and meeting-place route without electronic navigation. - Update contacts, schools, medications and arrangements at least twice a year. PRACTICE CHECKLIST [ ] Create a wallet-size emergency contact card. [ ] Agree on an out-of-area contact and two meeting places. [ ] Run a ten-minute communication drill. NOTES This guide supplements, not replaces, vessel-specific training, medical training, local law, maritime authorities, official alerts and emergency responders. SOURCES Dutch government — emergency kit — https://english.denkvooruit.nl/prepare-yourself/putting-together-an-emergency-kit British Red Cross — emergency preparedness — https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies American Red Cross — make a plan — https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.html Updated 2026-11-04. Website: https://noinbox.dev/survival/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evacuation Go-Bag & Departure Decisions ======================================= Make quick, safer departure decisions with a grab-and-go bag, routes and shelter alternatives. IMMEDIATE RULE Evacuate immediately when ordered or when remaining is unsafe. Do not delay leaving a dangerous building to collect equipment, possessions or documents. 1. Know when to leave Rule: Official warnings and immediate hazards override convenience. - Identify local alert sources and which events require immediate evacuation, such as active fire or fast-rising water. - Learn safe primary and secondary exit routes and do not enter floodwater or smoke to retrieve supplies. - Plan where people with limited mobility, pets and service animals can go. 2. Pack a lightweight go-bag Rule: Only carry what supports safe evacuation. - Put critical medication, copies of documents, a phone charger, light, essential clothing and a compact first-aid kit in one bag. - Add water and easy-to-eat snacks without making the bag too heavy to move safely. - Use waterproof pouches for documents, cash and a list of contacts; keep everyday medication accessible. 3. Choose destinations and routes Rule: Have alternatives ready. - Identify shelter options, relatives or approved public shelters outside local hazard areas. - Mark more than one route and check current official road, bridge and transit information. - Do not follow a saved navigation route into road closures, floodwater, wildfire or unstable terrain. 4. Leave safely Rule: Avoid creating new hazards during departure. - If time permits, secure necessary utilities only according to official guidance and without exposing yourself to danger. - Tell your designated contact where you are going when it is safe to communicate. - Bring assistive devices, essential medications and pets if the plan permits; never re-enter an unsafe building. 5. Check in after arrival Rule: Safety includes accounting for everyone. - Confirm names, current location and condition using the household check-in format. - Follow shelter instructions and official updates; avoid spreading unverified alerts. - Return only after authorities have cleared the area and hazards have been assessed. PRACTICE CHECKLIST [ ] Time a realistic safe departure with your go-bag. [ ] Mark an alternate route that avoids known flood zones. [ ] Review accessibility and pet arrangements. NOTES This guide supplements, not replaces, vessel-specific training, medical training, local law, maritime authorities, official alerts and emergency responders. SOURCES Dutch government — emergency kit — https://english.denkvooruit.nl/prepare-yourself/putting-together-an-emergency-kit British Red Cross — emergency preparedness — https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies American Red Cross — make a plan — https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/make-a-plan.html Updated 2026-11-04. Website: https://noinbox.dev/survival/