Man-made cataclysms or disasters can result in the evacuation of entire buildings. In a big city, a catastrophic event can also compromise public transport and force you to take an alternative route to get home or away from the place where the accident occurred. During an emergency like this, you may find yourself isolated and only have to rely on yourself. Prepare an emergency kit and keep it handy in the workplace, so that you are prepared to deal with the situation and preserve your safety. Here's what you need:
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Prepare the Evacuation Kit for a Workplace Emergency
Step 1. Choose the right backpack:
large, waterproof canvas, with several separate pockets, padded shoulder straps and belt (the latter helps you distribute the weight better and makes the backpack more comfortable if you have to walk long distances). You can buy it at any discount store, specialty store or supermarket. Take into account functionality rather than aesthetics.
Attach a tag with your name and contact details on it like you would for a piece of luggage. If possible, leave some form of identification like an old card in your backpack. When you use it, you may have left your purse and belongings behind
Step 2. Water and food
Water will considerably increase the weight of the backpack, however it is necessary to have plenty of it: a bottle is the minimum, but if you can handle the weight, take even more. Make sure the bottle or flask closes tightly and can be refilled as needed. You will also need calorie snacks.
- Protein bars and the like contain proteins and carbohydrates and in their original packaging they keep for a long time. Food is not only essential for nourishment, it can also be used to cheer you up. Dried fruit and dehydrated fruit are another great option.
- Peanut butter (unless you are allergic) is a quality source of protein, you buy it in lightweight plastic packaging and you don't have to cook it or store it in the fridge.
Step 3. Reflective tape
A blackout could leave the entire city in the dark and you could be forced to walk for miles. The telephone signal may be noisy or absent. The subway or tram is down and traffic is compromised because the traffic lights are off. Consider all the possibilities and make a plan! You can find the reflective tape in hardware stores or a sporting goods store, otherwise you can search for it on the internet. Buy a good amount: if necessary you will attach it to your backpack, to your clothes or to the means you are using to move. It is usually sold in rolls and is a few inches thick.
- To attach it use fabric glue or sew it. There is also adhesive reflective tape.
- Attach the ribbon to the backpack and shoulder straps.
- Don't be stingy - abound with ribbon. It will make you visible to the vehicles and vehicles that occupy the road.
Step 4. Raincoat or poncho
Choose a raincoat or poncho in a bright color, yellow for example, to be more visible. The raincoat protects you from the rain and partly from the cold, and if covered with reflective tape it makes you more visible. Remember to apply the reflective tape to the poncho too, because wearing it covers the backpack.
- If the raincoat is not one that folds in on itself, compress it well so that it takes up as little space as possible.
- You can tie it with large rubber or hair bands. If you keep your hair long remember to collect it and tie it with an elastic, to avoid that they block your view.
Step 5. Reflective thermal blanket
The best choice is a Mylar thermal blanket, made of polyester, which you can find in hiking shops or on the internet. These blankets are lightweight, waterproof and take up very little space in their original packaging. You should only open it when necessary, because once the package is broken it will be difficult to fold it as before and will take up much more space. Such a blanket reflects heat, so it retains body heat in cold weather and repels outside heat if the weather is hot.
Step 6. Whistle
A whistle produces a very loud sound and can be an effective signal if you find yourself imprisoned somewhere and need to call for help. Much better than shouting and shouting!
Step 7. Sneakers
In an emergency situation you may have to run or walk for a long time in adverse conditions. High heels or leather shoes could be a hindrance. Your safety depends on being able to move quickly. Sneakers are an absolute necessity in an emergency kit. They don't have to be brand new - they could blister you. Choose a pair that you have already had the opportunity to use and that you know are comfortable. They don't have to be thrown away, but even a worn-out pair of sneakers is better than high heels or moccasins.
Many trainers have reflective elements, but you can still attach tape to them too
Step 8. Socks
Take tubulars that are suitable for the shoes you have chosen. Avoid short socks because they don't protect the tendon. A good place for socks is inside your shoes - you optimize space and tidy up your backpack.
If you are a woman and you wear skirts or dresses, get very high socks, up to the knee, so that your legs are protected
Step 9. First aid kit
Use a zippered pouch to hold the kit. If you attach a piece of reflective tape to it, it will be easier to spot the kit in the dark inside the backpack or if by chance you drop it. It must contain:
- Adhesive bandages of all sizes, with particular attention to those useful against blisters, preferably synthetic.
- Liquid disinfectant.
- Antihistamine: An emergency is not a good time to find out you have allergies.
- Auto injector, if you have severe allergies.
- A couple of days' supply of the medicines you use regularly. If your doctor changes your prescription, don't forget to update the kit. If you are asthmatic don't forget the inhaler.
- Pain relievers such as acetaminophen.
- Elastic bandages. In case you have to bandage an ankle or immobilize a limb.
- Latex gloves (sheepskin, if you are allergic to latex). In case you need to help injured people.
- Antibacterial gel to wash your hands.
- Synthetic towel: useful for drying but also for reporting.
- A bottle of saline solution: essential for those who wear contact lenses but also to wash their eyes if the air is dusty or polluted or to wash a wound.
- Gauze and other first aid items.
Step 10. A small flashlight
Make sure the batteries are working. Maglite type flashlights are very durable but heavy. A medium or large flashlight can be used as a weapon if needed. It is up to you to decide how much weight you want to carry.
- An AA or C battery torch is fine. If you are willing to carry a heavier backpack and if you think you will need it you can consider a flashlight that works with large batteries (D lite). A small, light plastic stack is great as long as it works.
- Consider LED batteries: they are light, small and produce a very strong light beam. They also have no delicate bulbs that can break and are relatively inexpensive.
Step 11. A map of your city
It should be detailed and include street names and public transport stops. You may be forced to travel on unfamiliar roads, the public transport service may be interrupted or undergo changes, resulting in you being in unfamiliar areas. Take care to mark alternative routes on your map.
Step 12. Record emergency telephone numbers
There may be no signal or your mobile phone may run low. Write down the numbers of friends and family who live near your place of work or on your way home so that you can contact someone who can offer you shelter or come and pick you up. If you think you can remember numbers by heart, be aware that stress can compromise your memory.
Step 13. Protective mask
You can find them in hardware stores or in better-stocked supermarkets. They are economical and indispensable in the event of an earthquake or fire.
Step 14. Portable charger for your mobile phone
You can find them that run on solar energy, manual charging or batteries. They are able to provide a minimal charge to your phone which may prove indispensable. Search travel sites, mobile phone dealers, or airport kiosks.
Step 15. A small amount of money
You don't need a lot of banknotes, just enough for food or water or for public transport. Keep coins to use pay phones. Find a hidden place in your backpack to put bills and coins.
Step 16. Refreshing wipes
In case the public toilets lack the necessary. It depends from city to city: think about the situations you might encounter when returning home.
Step 17. Swiss army knife
You can find it in sporting goods stores or you can order it on the internet. It is useful on so many occasions that it would be too long to list them.
Step 18. A small radio
Many local emergency stations have their own programming. Get a small radio that runs on batteries. You can find them everywhere and they don't cost much. Make sure the batteries are still working and that it is turned off before you put it in your backpack.
Step 19. Hide a house key in your backpack
Find a relatively safe place and tape the key. Do not put any indication of your home on the key in case you lose it. A spare key could also come in handy if you or a family member gets locked out.
You can also add a spare car key
Method 2 of 3: Store the Backpack
Step 1. Resist temptation:
don't loot your kit! Avoid taking water, snacks, or medicines from your kit. Open the backpack only to replace expired medicines or food and dead batteries.
Step 2. Store your backpack safely in a locker, under your desk, or in a closet in your office
In any case, choose an easily accessible place. Don't wait until it's too late: if in doubt, take it. If you live in cold places, add food or change it according to the seasons.
- Get it during the evacuation rehearsal. Keep it handy when you hear that any kind of emergency has hit your city.
- You may not realize you are in an emergency situation until after you part with your kit.
- If you work in a large city, in an area prone to earthquakes or tornadoes, or in large office complexes, being a little paranoid is a good habit.
Step 3. Check your kit regularly
Write it down on your phone or computer. Checking it twice a year is enough, perhaps when you change the fire extinguishing batteries or during summer / winter time. You can use family and friends birthdays to remind you or just set alerts on your desktop calendar.
- Check for perishable items (batteries, food and medicine); check that maps and phone numbers are up to date; make sure the gloves are intact, the electronic equipment functional, replace the items you have taken. In short, make sure you're ready for an emergency!
- Email your home computer to remind yourself. Once you leave the office, you may not remember it anymore!
Method 3 of 3: Make a Plan
Step 1. Know which part of the city your workplace is and how far you are from home
Be aware that public transport may not be active in an emergency. Ask yourself how you would walk home: how to dress and how long it would take.
Step 2. Involve your family
Talk to your family and agree on what to do in an emergency situation where you are not reachable by phone. Try to consider your options together: knowing how you will behave will allow them to help you even in the absence of direct contact.
If your family hears of an emergency situation involving the area where you work, they may for example pick up your children from school, meet you at a pre-arranged location, or otherwise be ready to take action on your signal
Step 3. Get organized with colleagues
Discuss with your colleagues and exchange ideas on how to organize your kits, always taking into account the particular environmental conditions in which you find yourself.
- If you have colleagues who live in the same area as you, make arrangements to go home together.
- Convince colleagues to make a kit like yours so that everyone has their own supplies.
- Propose to your superiors to organize an information program on how to prepare an emergency kit, compare the items they have obtained with your colleagues and possibly arrange together to ensure that everyone has the necessary in their backpack.
Advice
- Batteries inserted in an instrument discharge slowly. Keep them in their original packaging and make sure you have scissors or a Swiss army knife to open it, or keep them in a separate bag.
- A pair of glasses can be useful to prevent dust, blood or other foreign bodies from bothering you. You can buy protective eyewear from hardware stores, certain supermarkets, or online. They are inexpensive and some models can be worn over prescription glasses.
- Sunscreen and lip balm can be very useful.
- If you have a large enough backpack you can put your purse or wallet in it. Forget briefcases or computers, take only the essentials to survive hours on the road. During the blackouts in New York, many people brought books, briefcases, briefcases and other superfluous items with them. Once on the street they either threw them away or asked strangers to keep them for them.
- Computers, jewelry and furs could make you a target of robberies. Try to move as discreetly as possible and leave everything you can do without to work.
- If you work in areas prone to flooding, remember to pack a pair of waterproof shoes.
- Find a way to prevent the flashlight in your backpack from turning on randomly and consuming all the battery power (you could for example insert them backwards).
- If you have included several items that run on batteries, try to choose them that use the same type, this way you can save space and weight by adding a reserve that will fit any instrument.
- If you live in a very hot place, consider including light clothing such as shorts and a T-shirt and a hat to protect your head from the sun in the kit.
- To avoid accidentally turning on the flashlight or other battery operated tools, you can tape the switch. You don't want to find yourself with dead batteries when you need them!
- Involve colleagues in the preparation of the personal kit: it could be an opportunity to socialize as an alternative to a happy hour.
- There is no need to buy everything immediately: medicines, for example, you can take from home stock, while looking for the smallest and most convenient formats to carry in pharmacies.
- Keep your backpack close at hand - during an emergency you may not have time to go to the garage and pick it up from your car! If you can, prepare a special kit to keep in the car.
- Pen, notepad and matches or lighter are a foresighted addition to your kit.
- If you live in a cold place, add leg warmers, a hat and all the thermal clothing you will need. The clothes you use for work may not be suitable for a long walk in emergency conditions.
- Blackberries, iPhones and various handhelds allow you to stay connected and make it unnecessary to take your computer away.
- Keep some metro or tram tickets in your backpack, so as to avoid queues at the ticket office if public transport is active.
- If you have organized a meeting between colleagues to create your own kit, manage a common deposit where those who have surplus of useful items such as old children's backpacks or raincoats or whatever can make them available to others.
- If you are a manager, invite your collaborators to periodically check and update their kit also with free gifts such as discount coupons for discount stores or pocket torches or snacks during the meetings organized for the management of the emergency kit.
- Always take into account the particular climate and conditions you may find yourself in in the event of an evacuation from the workplace.
Warnings
- Inserting the batteries upside down can damage certain types of LED flashlights.
- Don't forget the latex gloves. The pathogenic elements contained in the blood really exist even if most people have no specific knowledge about them: always use gloves if you have to help an injured person. Also use (clean) gloves to treat yourself if you have no way to disinfect your hands.
- A whistle or such signals are very effective against an attacker.
- Before putting weapons such as pepper spray or electric guns in your backpack, find out about the regulations of your company: the introduction of similar tools in the workplace may be prohibited.
