The scene repeats itself more and more frequently: forest fires that devastate thousands of hectares, rains that transform streets into rivers in just a few minutes, snowfalls like Filomena that paralyze cities… Extreme weather events are no longer isolated episodes. Added to them are other crises such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the La Palma volcano or a general blackout, all in less than five years. NOW the question is no longer if an emergency can arise, but when and how it will surprise us.
Although Spain is traditionally a country with low risk perception, the reality is changing. In the April Sociological Research Center (CIS) barometer, 33.2% of Spaniards said they already had a complete emergency kit – including drinking water, non-perishable foods, basic medicines, a portable radio and a flashlight. “It’s not about being doom and gloom or thinking the end of the world is coming.but to avoid situations that we might find ourselves in that are not as far away as we thought,” he says. Íñigo Vila, emergency director of the Red Cross, 20 minutes.
“In the last five or six years, we have experienced disasters that we previously considered as something distant. This has generated greater sensitivity,” he says, adding that “it is important to break the false myth that nothing will happen to us” and to be prepared. And that’s where the family emergency plana tool that, as he explains, can make the difference between a controlled situation and difficult-to-manage chaos.
Although some think an emergency plan is not necessary, Vila insists that risks should not be minimized. “Disasters do not prevent. “No one thought a volcano might erupt or a snowstorm would collapse Madrid,” he says. “We have to be prepared in case we have to run out of the house or the pipes freeze and we can’t go buy water,” he adds.
Threats that most affect Spain
Although each territory has its own environmental reality, the National Geographic Institute (IGN) identifies the risks that recurrently affect the country, including forest fires and floods.
IGN warns that Floods constitute the most important meteorological risk in Spain due to their frequency and their consequences. economic and human life. The most important are massive floods, caused by continuous and heavy rains which affect large areas, especially in winter in the north and in the interior of the peninsula; and flash floods, the most dangerous because in just a few minutes they transform ravines, ravines and streams into deadly torrents, typical of the Mediterranean strip and archipelagos, although not exclusive.
On the other hand, in recent decades Spain has experienced some of the Europe’s most serious forest fires. Although the most affected areas are concentrated in the north, particularly in Galicia, the fire also affected Castile and León, Extremadura and Castile-La Mancha. Additionally, the Mediterranean coast and archipelagos, with their most fragile ecosystems, experience fires that cause enormous territorial impact, altering vegetation, soils, wildlife and local livelihoods.
Why an emergency plan can save lives
In a country where risk exists – and is increasing – prevention and the existence of a plan are essential. This is not a complex document or a technical manual: it is about anticipating what to do, how to act and where to meet in an emergency. “You have to anticipate,” insists Vila. “Generate automatisms. If something happens, I automatically know what to do. I don’t have to start wondering if my partner did this or that. If we decide in advance what to do in each scenario, we avoid improvising.”
The expert emphasizes that it is important for every family to ask themselves the following questions: How can we organize ourselves if an event like this happens? “It’s about developing a plan taking into account the particular needs of each household: if there are elderly people, children, animals, if both parents work… Thinking about the whole process that we would experience in an emergency,” he explains.
One of the main problems is the lack of coordination. Vila gives an everyday but common example: “Both parents may assume that the other has picked up the children from school. If they can’t communicate, both might assume it’s the other doing it, and the cubs aren’t recovered. » Added to this is the fact that in disaster situations communications can fail, such as down networks, dead batteries or lack of coverage. It is therefore also essential to decide in advance where the family will meet, both inside and outside the house or even the neighborhood.
Likewise, people who live alone, especially older ones, should also prepare. “I recommend always maintaining a connection with a loved one, whether it is a family member or a neighbor. In villages it’s easier, but in cities the sense of community is less,” Vila points out. Telecare services usually work, but they can also fail, so it’s useful to have someone who, if they don’t see you in three days, can sound the alarm.
Basic Checklist
The Red Cross recommends creating a simple list of items to pack in a backpack to act quickly in an emergency.
- Non-perishable food and water: enough for at least three days
- Security and communication elements: flashlight, portable radio, batteries, external battery and whistle to call for help.
- Medicine: especially for chronic patients and first aid kit.
- Documentation: copies of identity documents, passports, family records, deeds, insurance policies, etc. It is also advisable to download digital copies to the cloud.
- Money cash in small denominations.
- Shelter and protection: a blanket, thermal clothing or a raincoat, feminine hygiene products, wet towels, disinfectant, etc.
- Tools: utility knife, lighter or matches, adhesive tape, etc.
- Special items: diapers, formula and bottles. Pet food, water and leash.
According to Vila, this backpack allows you to have a reasonable time until help arrives if necessary. “There are situations in which people will have to wait, not because there are no help or emergency services, but because they cannot access them, either because of a traffic jam or because circumstances do not allow it,” he emphasizes.
Likewise, the organization emphasizes the need to obtain information through official channels. “There are people who don’t watch television or listen to the news, and I understand that. But It is important to follow official information, such as the weather, it can alert you to undesirable phenomena and help you change your habits,” says Vila.
Change plans, avoid traveling, cancel an excursion… daily decisions can reduce risks. But for this you have to be aware of the danger, something that continues to be lacking in Spanish society. “We think that accidents happen to others. But zero risk does not exist”summarizes the emergency director of the Red Cross.
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