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The weather (at least in the region where I live i.e. town, has been relatively pleasant today- a bit somber which means the sun and the rain aren’t the main players today. It’s a great day to think about how each of us can better prepare for eventualities.

I have an emergency bag in my car. It’s not the best emergency kit but it’s at the most- basic. There are several areas in your life where you can prepare supplies for emergencies:

1. Home
2. Car
3. Office

Build your emergency kit with these suggestions:

Water, Non-Perishable Food Items (NPFI), Flashlight, Batteries, Whistle, Can Opener, Prescription Medication, First Aid Kit, Infant Formula, Diapers, Pet Food and, Pet Supplies, Sleeping Bag, Warm Blanket, Fire Extinguisher, Matches, Personal Hygiene items, Paper, Pencil, Paper Towels, Books, Activities for Children, Important family documents, Moist Towelettes,

Consider the way important items e.g. documents are stored in your home i.e. are they stored in a waterproof container and in an easily accessible/ easy to reach area?

May Rain

It’s raining heavily outside. Rain is bad for business. It’s a time when many customers decide they will go run an errand on another day. It’s a time when relevant authorities question public safety and security and infrastructure resilience.

Government Responsibilities

In Seychelles, we have a general perception that the Government is responsible for all our safety as well as the safety of our assets. I’m not sure what started this mindset, however, the Government has done very little to address this mindset. It’s an interesting opinion to have… why am I responsible for my car, to a point where my car requires insurance before it’s allowed on the road, but my house and business is the Government’s problem? We blame what used to be known as “force majeure” on the Government… catastrophic events caused by “God’s Hands”. Anyone with a solid background in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) of course, would know that lack of preparedness is the main cause of catastrophes… we didn’t prepare to prevent it… we didn’t prepare to respond to it.

Being Proactive

Some people take the initiative to take care of their home and business. Before any eventuality, they are insured, or they are in a more resilient position than others… usually, the wealthy are in a better position to respond and recover to any catastrophe and of course, the poor and marginalized are almost always worse off and at the mercy of government to the rescue. Here are a few precautions we can each take to avoid getting caught up in heavy rain emergencies- flooding in particular:

Prepare:

1. Protect your property from floodwaters and purchase flood insurance.
2. Heavy rain and flooding can cause power outages, disrupt transportation, damage infrastructure and create landslides.
3. Is your area a flood risk? You can know this through flood risk maps of your area or the historical trends.
4. Practice evacuation routes, shelter plans for your area and always prepare your emergency kit.

During:

1. Do not walk or drive in flood waters.
2. Stay away from fast-moving water (rivers and even the sea)
3. Avoid touching electrical equipment if wet of if you are standing in water- turn off electricity if it is safe to do so- be aware of the risks of electrocution.
4. Listen to the authorities for information and instructions
5. Evacuate if told to do so, move to high ground if told to do so, stay where you are if told to do so.
6. Keep a battery powered radio handy if mobile phone communication is impacted.
7. If trapped in a building, go to the highest level but go to the roof only if necessary. Do not climb into a closed attic.

After:

1. Wear gloves and boots during clean-up
2. Avoid wading in floodwater which can be contaminated or contain dangerous debris.
3. Underground or downed power lines can electrically charge the water
4. If necessary, use a generator or other gasoline powered machinery outdoors only and away from windows.
5. Continue to pay attention to the information and instructions disseminated by the authorities.

Resources

FEMA. (2018, March). Be Prepared for a Flood. Retrieved from FEMA: https://www.ready.gov/sites/default/files/2024-03/ready.gov_flood_hazard-info-sheet.pdf

FEMA. (2023, October 10). FEMA Urges You to Prepare for Heavy Rain and Flash Flooding. Retrieved from FEMA : https://www.fema.gov/press-release/20231010/fema-urges-you-prepare-heavy-rain-and-flash-flooding-0

U.S Department of Homeland Security. (2024, March 21). Floods. Retrieved from Ready.gov: https://www.ready.gov/floods

The 13th October annually is recognized as the “International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction (IDDR). On this day every year, a new theme is introduced to the world highlighting focus areas in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

This year’s theme is “Fighting Inequality for a Resilient Future” asking the world to #BreaktheCycle. Here is what the United Nations’ Secretary General (UNSG) Mr. Antonio Guterres had to say: “Our world is plagued by a perfect storm on a number of fronts. Start with the short-term, a global economic crisis. The outlook is bleak. We see deepening inequalities and a rapidly unfolding cost-of-living crisis – affecting women and girls the most. Supply chain disruptions and an energy crunch. Soaring prices. Rising interest rates along with inflation. And debt levels pounding vulnerable countries.” Disheartening, isn’t it?

I devoted about 8 years in the field of Disaster Risk Reduction here in Seychelles officially and beyond that unofficially. Inequality is certainly one of the most pressing developmental issue in Seychelles- maybe even globally, and this manifests in a multiplicity of ways. Disaster Risk Reduction is one of the most important ways in which inequality can be addressed. Imagine a world where we build force fields over the marginalized, the vulnerable, the forgotten- the ones who in the event of a catastrophe, they have no where to go and lose the very little they already have. Imagine a world where in the event of a catastrophe, everyone matters.

I disagree with the UNSG. The outlook is what you want to believe and I believe there is hope. I have been part of and have seen for myself, the improvements made in Seychelles’ sustainable and resilient future. Are we moving fast enough? Maybe not. We have very limited resources, mismanagement of our already limited resources, questionable governance and our priorities are probably everything but disaster risk reduction.

Thankfully, “Necessity is the Mother of Invention” (Plato, 375 BC) and technology is reaching new heights daily. I have hope that international cooperation and partnerships will improve and hopefully, good governance at the forefront.

Thank you for visiting my blog!