7 February is National Preparedness Day – Start with water
Friday, 7 February, is National Preparedness Day. This year’s theme is ‘Start with water’. We want to highlight the importance of preparedness and encourage everyone to do concrete things to improve their preparedness. Households should be able to survive on their own for at least 72 hours in the event of an emergency or disruption.
In Finland, we are used to always having tap water available. But what if suddenly there was no running water?
A water supply disruption may be caused by a power outage or a pipe burst, for example. Usually disruptions do not last long, but in the event of an extensive problem, running water may be cut off for a long time. It is important to prepare for these situations.
Be prepared for water supply disruptions
Here are some tips on how to prepare for water supply disruptions:
- Make sure you have lidded containers in which you can store drinking water. A person needs about two litres of water per day. You should also have some water for cooking and personal hygiene.
- Store the water in a cool and dark place. If water has been sitting at room temperature for more than a day, you should not drink it.
- Buy bottled water from the store before you need it. In case of an emergency, stores quickly run out of bottled water. Check the best before date and storage instructions on the bottle.
- Remember that you can only flush the toilet once during a water supply disruption. You can then place a plastic bag inside the toilet bowl and use it as your toilet.
- Follow official announcements issued by authorities and your local water supplier. Make sure you have batteries and a radio so that you get information if there are problems in telecommunications networks.
You should also have food for 72 hours at home. It makes sense to have foods that have a long shelf life, are quick to prepare, only require little water to cook or can be eaten without cooking. This includes canned food, nuts, cereal, crispbread, fruit, vegetables and biscuits.