A First Aid Kit is an essential part of Emergency Readiness but this is NOT a Ready Bag. Read on.

We are very fortunate to live in Singapore where our good geographical location shields us from most natural calamities and disasters (e.g. floods, lightning storms etc.).  That does not mean that we should be ignorant about survival skills in times of civil emergencies, epidemic outbreaks, environmental hazards or even terrorist attacks.

Top 10 THREATS WE FACE IN SG

A) The top 3 Civil Emergencies that are likely to take place in the densely populated, high-rise Singapore are:

1. Fires – Fires can cause major loss of lives and property if preventive measures are not taken. Do you have fire hazards in your home/estate and how do you minimise the risks of fires occurrences? Do you have fire extinguisher at home and do you know how to use one?

2. Power Outage – Do you know how to handle during a power outage?

3. Structural Collapse – Unlikely to happen as we are do not have earthquakes in Singapore but how do you enhance your chances of survival in the rare unfortunate event that you are trapped under debris or rubble?

B) Being a cosmopolitan country who is heavily dependent on international travel and trade,  we are a nation prone to Epidemic Outbreaks such as:

8. Haze – Often caused by forest fires in Indonesia, it is reported that the dreaded haze may return with a vengeance next month. As part of the ‘Stay Prepared’ initiative which encourages individuals and families to be prepared well ahead of any emergencies, a total of 1.2 million ‘Stay Prepared’ Starter Kits has been distributed by Singapore Power and Singapore Post to all households from 6 to 12 May 2014. The ‘Stay Prepared’ Starter Kit contains three 3M face masks, instructions on how to wear the masks and emergency contact numbers. Have you received yours? Do you also have an air purifier or a cold air diffuser on standby to combat the haze?

N95 Mask Kits for every household as part of Temasek Cares ‘Stay Prepared’ Initiative

9. Floods – Flash floods have occurred in Orchard Roads and several low lying areas in Singapore. What can you do when a flood occurs and you are trapped inside a vehicle?

10. Lightning – Singapore is known as the ‘Lightning Capital’.  When there is a thunderstorm in your area, what can you do to minimise a lightning strike?

CALL TO ACTION – GET READY A READY BAG FOR YOUR FAMILY

Rescue may not come immediately after an emergency. Having a Ready Bag would help you last the wait. The idea for a Ready Bag is that in case of an emergency, it’s the only thing you need to grab to ensure the survival of your family members till help arrives. It should contain your important documents (like photocopy of your NRIC and children’s Birth Certificates etc), medical supplies and some first aid supplies.  The Ready Bag should be compact and light so you can easily bring it along in the event you need to evacuate your home. You can recycle your kid’s haversack or reuse the goodie bags issued with the National Day Parade, Cold Storage Kids Run (or any other corporate events). Keep the Ready Bag in an accessible location where every member of the house know where it is.

It is easy and inexpensive to prepare for a Ready Bag. If you can pack a diaper bag, you can pack a Ready Bag for your family.

Here is a checklist of items:

Click to enlarge and download the checklist

Photo Credit: Example of what should go inside a Ready Bag

Besides the Ready Bag, it is useful to have a list of Emergency Contact Numbers at hand. Print a copy out and pin it somewhere easily visible.

Click to enlarge and save this list of useful Emergency Contact Numbers

We hope this community message will increase your awareness towards Emergency Preparedness.

 

Disclaimer: This is NOT a sponsored post. We hope to do our bit to spread this message of Emergency Readiness to our readers.