Here you will find useful tips on how to proceed if there is a threat to public safety – particularly in the event of power outage, a discharge of dangerous substances, an evacuation, or a risk of flooding.

• What to do when there is a power outage
• What to do when there is a discharge of dangerous substances
• Evacuation
• What to do when there are floods

What to Do When There Is a Power Outage

Here you will learn what to be aware of during a prolonged power outage, and how to prepare for such a situation in advance.

• Use only a torch for emergency lighting. Do not use candles due to the risk of fire.
• Turn off and disconnect all devices, household appliances (such as air conditioners) and electronics you use at home.
• Leave one lamp or light switched on to indicate that power supply has been restored.
• Listen to a local radio station for updates and pay attention to notifications you may receive in your mailbox.
• Keep refrigerators and freezers closed to keep your food as fresh as possible.
• If you rely on medicines that require refrigeration, it is recommended to put bottles of water into the refrigerator as water can maintain low temperature for a long time and the medicines can then be stored there for several hours.
• Use your mobile phone for emergencies only. Call 112, 150, 155, 156, or 158 only to report a life-threatening emergency. If you have problems calling 112, it is recommended to remove the SIM card out of your telephone.
• Avoid unnecessary travel, especially by car. Traffic signals stop working during a power outage, increasing the risk of traffic jams.
• Do not switch on power generators in enclosed spaces. If you want to use one, connect the devices you need to charge directly to the sockets of the power generator; do not connect the power generator to the electrical system of the house.
• If it is cold outside, put on several layers of warm clothing. Do not use equipment intended only for outdoor use for heating inside – there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
• If it is hot outside, do not underestimate the risk of dehydration – drink only water from a realiable source (preferably bottled water).
• Hygiene – try to maintain hygiene as much as possible while respecting the needs of others.

How to prepare for a blackout

Prepare an emergency kit including:

• Batteries
• Torch
• Portable radio
• Stock of water
• Stock of non-perishable foods, including canned food (e.g. meat and vegetables), preserves, dried meat, long-life milk, biscuits, chocolate, energy bars, dried fruit, nuts, sugar, honey, syrup etc.
• Gas (spirit) stove
• Sanitary products, disposable wet wipes, hand sanitiser, and Savo disinfectant

• If you use a computer, regularly back up your data and operating systems.
• Keep your car’s fuel tank at least half full.
• Prepare an evacuation bag.

Evacuation and pets:

If you have cats or small dogs, take them with you in closable carriers. Large dogs have to be on a leash and wear a muzzle. If you have exotic animals that can survive for a long time without food, secure them and leave them at home.

How to secure your home for evacuation:

• Turn off the electricity, gas, and water supplies (using the main circuit breakers).
• Close all windows and doors properly.
• Empty the refrigerator and the freezer and dispose of perishable food at a designated place.
• Secure your flat or house against thieves.
• Extinguish any naked flames in heating devices.

What to Do When There Is a Discharge of Dangerous Substances

The accidental leakage of chemical substances is usually sudden and unexpected. In this case, it is unrealistic to rely on yourself and try to find your own shelter. It is therefore necessary to be well informed about the threat and how to proceed. This information is available in the following chapter. Make sure to read it carefully!

Ways of warning:

• A warning signal – general warning signal generated by acoustic sirens (a fluctuating tone for 140 seconds).
• Announcements transmitted through the municipal broadcast system or from transmitting cars, via the Internet or in the form of text messages from the local authority or the local cable television.
• Announcements on nationwide radio and television stations – for large-scale accidents.

Typical signs of an accident:

• Fog
• Air waves above a crashed object
• Unusual colour of flames during a fire
• Smell
• Spontaneous fire on the surface of inflammable materials
• The hissing of escaping gas, explosions, or cracking materials

What to do:

• Do not approach the place of the accident.
• If you are outside, seek shelter in the nearest building.
• If you are at home, do not go outside.
• Stay on the highest floor, in the room furthest from the place of the accident.
• Do not seek shelter in cellars and underground spaces.
• Switch off air conditioning and ventilation.
• Close windows and doors and seal them with adhesive tape (this will decrease the amount of the substance penetrating into the room by up to 10 times).
• If you are in a car, do not open the windows and switch off ventilation.
• Watch the media (television, local broadcast system, transmitting cars, the Internet).
• If there is no shelter nearby, leave the endangered place as quickly as possible, moving perpendicular to the wind direction.
• If possible, use improvised protective equipment.

Improvised protective equipment:

• Cover your nose and mouth by a damp cloth (a folded handkerchief or a piece of fabric) and secure it with a scarf at the back of your neck to protect your aiways.
• Protect your head with a cap, hood or scarf, so that the headwear completely covers your forehead, ears, and neck.
• Protect your eyes with tight goggles (e.g. skiing or diving goggles) and seal the air holes with tape. If you do not have such goggles, you can use a transparent plastic bag. Pull it over your head and fasten it with a lace or elastic band around your cheekbones (it must not cover your nose due to the risk of suffocation).
• Use overalls, long coats, jackets, trousers, raincoats, blankets, or sheets to protect the upper part of your body.
• Protect your hands by wearing rubber or leather gloves. Protect your feet by wearing Wellington boots or another type of high boots.
• Your entire body must be covered, with no exposed areas.
• All protective equipment must be secured as tightly as possible (sleeves over gloves and trouser legs over boots should be secured with a lace, etc.).

Evacuation

In this chapter, you will learn what to do during an evacuation, i.e. in a situation when you have to move yourself, your pets or some objects away from high-risk areas to safety. You can also read a detailed description of what to pack in an evacuation bag.

Information about evacuation is provided by mass media, emergency services, employers, etc.

It is important to obey the instructions of the evacuation authorities and to arrive at the designated place with an evacuation bag. Before leaving your flat or house, follow these instructions:

• Extinguish open flames in heating devices.
• Switch off electrical appliances (except refrigerators and freezers).
• Turn off water and gas supplies.
• Make sure that your neighbours also know that they have to leave their flats.
• If you have children, write cards with their names and address and put them in their pockets.
• If you have cats or dogs, take them with you in closable carriers.
• Exotic animals that can survive for a long time without food can be left at home. Provide them with enough food before leaving.
• Take your evacuation bag, lock your flat or house, put a notice on your door saying that you have left, and go to the designated place.
• If you decide to evacuate independently, for example by car (e.g. to your cottage or relatives), report this, together with your temporary address and contact details, so that you can be informed of any changes in the situation when it is possible to return.

If some members of your family are in health or social care facilities or at school, do not go to these institutions. The staff of the respective facilities will organise their evacuation according to the evacuation plan.

After gathering at the designated place, you will be transported to centres providing emergency accommodation, food, and other forms of care. At the same time, you will receive updated information about the situation and further plans.

It is possible to return to the evacuated area only after the approval of the Integrated Rescue System authorities, once it is clear that there is no danger.

After returning home, check your property and report any damage or loss to your insurance company or the relevant authorities.

Evacuation Bag

It is important to prepare an evacuation bag for yourself and the other members of your household.  The principle is that each person should carry only one bag (25 kg for adults and 10 kg for children is the maximum). The best way to pack your belongings is in a rucksack or a frame backpack, as this leaves your hands free. You can also use a suitcase, which can be handled with one hand. A tote bag is the least appropriate option. Remember that if you have to leave with luggage, it is not always possible to use your own car (for example, during floods). Many people also have pets that need to be evacuated.

To make it easier to remember, we will list several logical groups for the contents of your emergency bag:

• Food and drink + dishes – especially non-perishable and well-packaged food, drinking water (enough to last 2–3 days for each member of the household), a mug or bowl, cutlery, and a can opener. If you have specific dietary requirements (e.g. a gluten-free diet or a vegetarian diet), note that at emergency accommodation centres where meals are provided for a large number of people, the options for providing food adapted to your specific needs will be limited. Make sure to bring enough of the special food you need.
• Valuables and documents – personal documents (birth certificate, ID, passport, health insurance card), other important documents (insurance contracts, building savings contract, investment contracts, securities), cash money and payment cards, and a list of the contact details of your family and relatives. Put cards with your children’s names, address, and contact details around their necks.
• Medicines and sanitary products – do not forget your regular medicins and medical aids. We recommend taking vitamins and common dietary supplements. You should also pack a reasonable amount of sanitary products.
• Clothes and sleeping equipment – clothes appropriate for the particular season, spare underwear and shoes, a sleeping bag, a camping mat, a raincoat or an umbrella.
• Devices, tools and entertainment – the most important items are a mobile phone with a charger, an FM radio (an MP3 player is sufficient) with a charger or batteries, a torch with spare batteries, matches, a folding knife, a sewing kit, writing utensils and things to pass the time – books, toys for children, board games.
• Pets – food, a muzzle, a dog-collar, a bowl, bedding material for cats, and other necessary items, a health certificate for the animal, a carrier for transport.

What to Do When There Are Floods

Do you live or work in an area at risk of flooding? Here you will learn how to act when flooding threatens and how to recognise different levels of flood risk.

There are several things you should do when the water level begins to rise and you face a risk of flooding:

• Stock enough food and drinking water.
• Prepare a torch, a radio receiver, and spare batteries.
• Remove or properly secure all items that could be swept away by water (such as ladders and garden tools).
• Move valuable things away from cellars and ground floor areas.
• Secure dangerous substances that can cause damage to the environment.
• Park your car in a higher-lying area.
• Prepare sandbags to prevent water from entering through your windows and doors.
• Start preparing your evacuation bag.

It is advisable to monitor the local media throughout, as they will inform you about the current situation and the forecast. Information can also be communicated through the local broadcast system and vehicles of the Integrated Rescue System.

If the situation becomes serious, you will be warned about the danger by sirens.

Stages of flood control activities:

1. Vigilance
2. Readiness
3. Emergency

There is not much we can do to influence the situation at this stage. We have to follow several important principles:

• Monitor the current situation and follow the instructions of crisis management authorities and rescuers.
• Do not underestimate the danger. Do not try to get close to the raging water.
• Respect closures in high-risk areas.
• Do not refuse evacuation. It is not a restriction of our rights but a measure taken for your safety.