The DANA that hit the Peninsula on October 29 – where at least 226 deaths have already been recorded (218 of them in Valencia) and 13 missing – has highlighted the need to know how to act in the event of a flood disaster. For this reason, the Ministry of Education has decreed that students in all educational centers in the country will receive – starting next year – mandatory classes on prevention and protection against natural disasters. But what are the steps to follow when a disaster occurs?
Chema Gil, coordinator of Emergency Operations at the San Javier Civil Protection and Emergencies Unit, explains to 20 minutes that the first thing citizens should do in an emergency situation is follow the directions of Civil Protection. “In Spain the culture of security and self-protection does not exist nor has it ever been worked on throughout democracy. That’s why we have to tell the population what to do.“he states. Furthermore, he considers it unusual that more than 200 people had to die for training to be required in schools.
The expert – who is also co-director of the International Security Observatory – indicates that all municipalities have the obligation – by law – to have a Municipal Emergency Plan and those with more than 20,000 inhabitants They must also have regulated emergency professionals in Civil Protection. Therefore, following the instructions of specialized technicians will be essential to ensure safety of people during a disaster.
However, Gil points out that not all towns have a plan or the necessary technicians to carry out the protocols. In these cases or in which the mobile alerts are sent late – as happened in Valencia – Gil urges people to make use of the common sense. “If water is already present in the environment, people should go up to the first or second floor. In a town where there is runoff They should never be kept on the ground floor because, in addition to being floodable in many cases, the drag of vehicles is of such magnitude that they can block the homes themselves and people can drown.”
What should the emergency kit contain?
Gil also emphasizes the need for each member of the family who lives in the home to have an emergency backpack that is the most waterproof possible. This must contain a first aid kit with the minimum medical supplies, such as dressings and disinfectants; and water purification tablets water. Likewise, it is essential that it contains a flashlight; spare batteries; a phone charger mobile; and one analog radio so that people can be aware of what is happening and the Civil Protection instructions, which the media are obliged by law to transmit. “If communications are broken, the only thing that will work will be the radio,” which can be purchased in electronics stores or online for about 15 euros.
In that backpack – which does not have to be too big – it is also essential to place a liter and a half bottle or two liters of water and basic foods with a high protein and vitamin value vacuum packed for two days. That would be the approximate time it would take the emergency services to reach the place where a disaster has occurred in Spain. “In a developing country it should be for more days. You have to adapt our response resources in the event of an emergency depending on where we are and in Spain that is enough. By drinking a liter of water a day you can [sobrevivir y] resolve that situation,” he says.
Disconnect the electricity and gas
The light box in the house must be lowered since the water is conductor of electricity and this could complicate the work of rescuers. For safety, the gas must also be turned off. Given this situation, Gil recommends that families have a small space on the first or second floor of the home. stove that works with butane bottles “certified with maximum safety” so that tap water can be boiled if necessary. This water – which can also be used to cook pasta or rice and for personal hygiene – should be boiled for about five minutes.
Furthermore, the expert affirms that it would be a good idea to have the combat rations that the Army uses, which contain a canister with packaged food that can be easily prepared. They contain sachets to prepare broths, canned foods and preserves. But that’s not all. This lot also includes a survival kit with water purification tablets, a stove, fuel tablets, among others. Once the emergency is over, that is, when it is safe to go out, people must follow the instructions of Civil Protection.
If you receive the alerts in advance, there will be time to take more measures. In homes, access doors can be protected with wood or sandbags to try to prevent water, mud and mud from entering. It is also advisable to place important documentation and valuables on upper floors. Vehicles, for their part, can be removed from garages and park them in high places that are not floodable. “The Murcian municipality of Los Alcázares had a DANA in 2019 that caused a disaster. But unlike Valencia, permanent emergency warnings were activated there from the beginning and many people were able to save their cars because they took them to the higher areas of the town. “recalls the expert.
In these types of situations, cars may seem like a safe place, but the reality is that they are not. For this reason, Gil explains that if we come across a puddle or stagnation of water on the road, it is best to stop, turn around and come back where it came from. “People cannot try to go in to see if they come out safely because they can enter a torrent, which has immense force. A torrent of water that is 20 centimeters high can perfectly drag a car and a person can be taken to the sea“says the expert.
“The Rambla del Poyo once had a water flow similar to that of the Ebro, which is the largest river in Spain,” explains the expert. In this sense, he insists that neither the quantity nor the strength of the water should be underestimated and that the right thing to do is to get to safety as soon as possible. “Under no circumstances will we cross an area in which we do not see the road, because in a valley we do not know how much water there is and from the car it is very difficult to know the force it carries,” he insists.
If you are surprised by a flood on the road and do not have time to turn around, you will lose control of the vehicle and it will begin to quickly fill with water. In this situation you should try to lower the window. If it is blocked all that remains is to break the glassexit through it and climb to the top of the vehicle. “It is also very useful to buy a device that has a type of trigger and a ceramic tip with which you can break the glass, otherwise it can break with whatever is inside the car,” he says.
Once outside it will also be useful draw attention with a white cloth or colored so that emergency services can locate the victim quickly. “I have had to do helicopter rescues at sea and it is necessary to have visibility of the victim. If you provide us with visibility we can do many things,” he explains. Finally, Gil insists that should not be underestimated the power of water and remember the importance of locating in high areas. “When it rains, the water that falls on the surface will tend to go to lower areas. It’s common sense“.
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