Prepare Your Home for Emergencies: Essential Supplies and Upgrades
Translated & summarized from Bizportal by baba
In response to increasing threats, Israelis are advised to prepare their homes for emergencies like power outages, water shortages, and inability to leave. Essential preparations include backup power solutions, storing at least 9 liters of water per person for 72 hours, and maintaining a well-stocked pantry. Building or utilizing protected spaces like safe rooms is also crucial, with costs varying significantly. Diversified communication backups and attention to indoor air quality are also recommended to ensure safety and comfort during crises.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Prepare for emergencies by stocking backup power, water, and pantry supplies.
- Store at least 9 liters of water per person for 72 hours.
- Backup power solutions range from portable chargers to large home storage systems.
- Safe rooms (Mamadim) and home shelters offer crucial protection.
- A well-stocked pantry with non-perishables is essential for extended home stays.
- Diversified communication backups are vital when networks fail.
Recent years have demonstrated that once-unimaginable scenarios, such as pandemics, prolonged power outages, and infrastructure failures, can quickly become reality. Most Israeli homes are designed for routine living, not for situations where essential systems cease to function. However, several additions and solutions can provide families with hours or even days of independence and enhance daily safety and comfort. These range from inexpensive items to significant renovations.
For power outages, portable chargers and power banks can sustain phones and routers, while portable power stations can run multiple devices for hours. Larger home energy storage systems, often paired with solar panels, offer longer-term backup, with costs ranging from a few hundred shekels for basic chargers to tens of thousands for integrated systems. The choice depends on what essential appliances one wishes to keep operational.
Water scarcity is a more fundamental concern than power loss. The Home Front Command recommends at least 9 liters of water per person for 72 hours, but prolonged outages necessitate much larger quantities. Dedicated water containers, foldable or rigid, offer a cost-effective solution, typically costing tens to hundreds of shekels. While permanent storage tanks are an option for private homes, most apartments can accommodate several containers for initial needs.
Protected spaces like safe rooms (Mamadim) and home shelters are crucial. New apartments often include Mamadim, while older homes may have separate shelters. Mamadim are integrated into living spaces, whereas shelters can be designed for longer stays with amenities like ventilation and backup power. Building a Mamad can cost between 120,000 to 200,000 shekels or more, with shelters potentially being even more expensive, especially underground ones.
Inability to leave home for shopping, as highlighted by the pandemic, makes pantry preparedness vital. Stocking a dedicated cupboard with non-perishables, water, basic medications, hygiene products, batteries, and emergency gear can prevent significant stress. This approach, using a 'first-in, first-out' system, minimizes waste and is cost-effective as most items are used in daily life.
Maintaining communication when the internet and cellular networks fail is critical. Backup power for routers, strong portable batteries for phones, and battery-powered radios are essential. A diversified approach using multiple communication methods mitigates risk, with costs generally ranging from hundreds to a few thousand shekels.
Air quality can become a concern due to fires, heavy smoke, or pollution. Sealing a home prevents external air infiltration, while filtration systems actively clean incoming air. Solutions range from air purifiers with appropriate filters, costing hundreds to thousands of shekels, to specialized filtration and ventilation systems for protected spaces, which represent a larger investment. While routine life encourages opening windows, preparedness for situations requiring prolonged indoor stays necessitates attention to air quality.