SAS Urban Survival Handbook (112 page)

All disasters, from earthquakes and volcanoes to hurricanes and tornadoes, from flooding to drought and severe winter storms, have the power to devastate our safe urbanity, and force us to face the fragility of ordinary life. Suddenly, with no warning at all, you may have to cope with disasters totally outside your experience. Emergency services are designed to step in on such occasions, but you may well have to rely on your own instincts to survive—at least for the first few days.

By being prepared, you can reduce the fear, panic, inconvenience and loss that usually surround a disaster. Know the dangers and act accordingly. Know how to protect yourself, feed yourself, and prevent needless injury until help arrives. But most of all, be a survivor!

DON’T PANIC

No matter how severe or life-threatening the disaster, panicking will get you nowhere. It leads to muddled thinking and puts you at even greater risk. Take a few deep breaths and calm yourself down, that way you’ll be able to make a more logical assessment of the dangers.

Morale

Never underestimate the psychological effects of losing a loved one, a home or treasured possessions. Everything you know and rely on may be swept away from you. Disaster victims will be subject to an enormous amount of stress and may be terrified, irritable and exhausted. Try to boost morale by concentrating on the positive aspects of being alive and the future. Survival is about THE WILL TO SURVIVE.

Predicting disaster

Meteorological stations around the world use satellites, radar, observation boats and planes to study weather conditions 24 hours a day, and play a major role in warning of predictable disasters such as flooding. Global communications mean that Britain’s Met Office will be informed of a hurricane in Miami, as it’s happening. You can find out about foreign and local weather conditions by calling one of the telephone information services such as Weathercall or Snowline.

SUPPLIES CHECK LIST

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  Food—non-perishable, high protein, needing little or no cooking. Enough for at least three days
  
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  Special dietary requirements (diabetics etc) and baby food
  
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  Non-breakable eating/drinking utensils, water containers
  
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  Water-purifying tablets
  
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  Bottle/can openers
  
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  Camp stove with extra supplies of fuel. Do not stockpile liquid gas, it could be dangerous
  
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  Portable, battery-operated radio—make sure you know the frequency of your local station!
  
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  Flashlight
  
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  Extra batteries
  
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  Candles
  
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  Matches (in waterproof container)
  
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  Fire extinguisher/fire blanket
  
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  Adjustable wrench to turn off gas/water mains
  
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  Toilet paper
  
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  Disinfectant
  
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  Bucket with tight-fitting lid (as improvised toilet)
  
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  Plastic dustbin bags (to line the toilet)
  
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  First-aid supplies
  
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  Sanitary needs
  

The Met Office is also responsible for faxing councils with local weather information, so that emergency and social services have time to go on the alert. Every county council has an emergency planning officer responsible for coordinating services and voluntary organizations in the event of a disaster. Contingency plans usually include a 24-hour phone line for those who need help. Know the emergency procedure for your area. Details can be found in your library or consumer advice centre or can be obtained from your local council.

Personal safety

Just as disaster brings out the best in some people, it can also bring out the worst. Society can break down in the most ordered of cities, and looting and violence become as much of a threat as the disaster itself. In 1965 and 1977 New York suffered blackouts, where power and communications throughout the city were suddenly inexplicably cut off. All hell broke loose (according to reports) with lootings, muggings and arson occurring on a horrendous scale. Be aware of the dangers from other people who may try to take advantage of the situation. Always put life before possessions.

REMEMBER

THE SAS SURVIVAL HANDBOOK deals with survival in the wild, while waiting for rescue. In a major disaster the survival priorities—food, fire, shelter and water—will come to the fore. Be prepared!

Emergency supplies

An emergency supplies kit will be your lifeline. Store it in a cool, dark, dry place and make sure everyone in the home knows where it’s kept. Keep a regular check on the state of supplies—DON’T wait until a disaster occurs before you find out your batteries are flat. Keep the kit with a list of last-minute things you’re likely to need, such as contact lenses or specialist medical supplies—you might not be able to think quickly enough at the time of emergency.

Purifying water

The body can survive up to three weeks without food. Without water, death may occur between three and eleven days. If supplies are cut, domestic cold water cisterns/tanks are a good source of water (you may need a flexible connecting hose), since they can hold as much as 180 litres (about 40 gallons). Do NOT use water in toilet cisterns for drinking.

If water is contaminated, strain through paper towels or clean cloth to remove any sediment. If a heat source is available, boil at a rolling boil for at least five minutes. Alternatively, use water-purifying tablets. If neither is available and you are absolutely desperate, you can use liquid household chlorine bleach (NEVER the granular form, which is poisonous) or two per cent tincture of iodine. Only purify enough water to last a maximum of 48 hours—that way you minimize the chance of recontamination.

WARNING

If water is severely contaminated—possibly by sewage—or if there are chemical contaminants which may ‘cancel out’ the effects of bleach or iodine, take great care. Listen to warnings on the radio concerning drinking water. DON’T take chances!

EMERGENCY-ONLY WATER PURIFICATION

Add two drops of chlorine bleach to one litre (about two pints) of clear water. If the water is cloudy, double the ‘dose’ to four drops. A plastic bucket for domestic use holds about nine litres (about two gallons) of water—increase the ‘dose’ to 16-18 drops for clear water, 30 drops for cloudy.

If using tincture of iodine, use three drops for one litre (about two pints) of clear water and 24 drops for a bucketful. Double the ‘dose’ to six drops if the water is cloudy.

EARTHQUAKE

Major earthquakes can cause death and destruction on a massive scale. No other natural phenomenon is capable of such devastation over so large an area in such a short space of time. In most cases the actual movement of the earth only lasts about 15 seconds (it may last several minutes), but it is usually the after-effects which wreak the greatest havoc.

Buildings and bridges collapse, crushing people under the debris. Power and telephone lines are destroyed, causing fires which rage out of control because of building failures and broken gas pipes. In the California earthquake of 1906, the resultant fire lasted four days before it burnt itself out, leaving a path of destruction that left 300,000 homeless. In 1985, a massive earthquake in Mexico City reduced to rubble the homes of 100,000 people. As recently as 1988, a 6.5 magnitude earthquake in Armenia killed 25,000 people as well as making thousands more homeless.

Just as devastating, earthquakes can set off a chain of other natural disasters such as landslides, mudslides, avalanches, volcanic eruptions and tsunamis—gigantic tidal waves reaching 30 metres (100 feet) high and travelling great distances, before crashing into coastal areas at speeds of up to 645 kph (400 mph).

It’s a common misconception that earthquakes only occur along geological fault lines—recognizable ‘cracks’ in the rock structure which indicate past movement. San Francisco is inextricably linked with violent earthquakes, built as it is on the San Andreas fault—a zone of faulting and cracking that extends for hundreds of miles. Yet in the majority of earthquakes, fault rupture never even reaches the surface and so is not directly visible.

The Richter Scale

The definition of an earthquake is any abrupt disturbance within the earth’s structure resulting in the generation of elastic or seismic waves. It is the passage of these seismic waves through the earth that usually causes the violent shaking at its surface, the earthquake. The result can be anything from a slight tremor to a full-blown rupture, and is usually expressed on the Richter Scale (although other magnitude scales are also used by earthquake observatories).

Based on seismograph recordings, the Richter Scale has no maximum or minimum levels—the biggest earthquakes so far measured have reached magnitude 9. Each unit recorded represents a tenfold increase in terms of size, which makes an earthquake measuring 8 on the Richter Scale 10,000 times bigger than one of magnitude 4. An 8 would undoubtedly cause major devastation, whereas a 4 would probably result in only slight damage.

1976—THE EARTHQUAKE YEAR

As many as 300,000 people are believed to have died in 1976 as a result of earthquakes, aside from the hundreds of thousands of casualties and the enormous losses suffered.

February 4: Guatemala
Approx 23,000 deaths
May 6: Italy
900 deaths
June 25: Irian Jaya
6000 deaths
July 28: China
250,000 deaths
August 16: Philippines
2000 deaths
November 24: Turkey
4000 deaths

Earthquake zones

The major earthquake zones or areas of seismic activity are most common around the edges of the Pacific Ocean—up the western coast of South and North America and back down the western rim through Japan, the Philippines and the South Sea Islands—and, less actively, along the Mediterranean Sea. But earthquakes can occur anywhere.

Even Britain suffers tremors—in 1984, Newton in central Wales experienced shaking houses, cracking walls and overturning furniture. In 1990 another tremor in the south of England shook pictures on walls. In the US, scientists estimate that 70 million people in 39 states could be classed as high risk.

Despite scientific advances and seismological research in China, Japan, the US and the Soviet Union, no method has yet been devised to predict the time, place or magnitude of earthquakes with a high degree of accuracy and consistency. Small tremors, also known as foreshocks, may be the only advance warning, which is why earthquakes are so deadly. This means that year-round preparations, particularly for those in known unstable areas, are an absolute necessity to plan for and survive a major earthquake.

Getting prepared

Frightening though it is, the movement of the earth itself is seldom the direct cause of injury or death. The earth does not open up and swallow cities whole! Earthquake injuries are usually caused through building collapse or structural damage and flying debris. If you live in a high-risk zone, check for potential hazards and take immediate steps to make your home as safe as possible (see SAFETY FIRST).

• ◑ Check for cracks in your home’s walls and ceilings. Cracks wider than 3 mm (1/8 in) could indicate potential weakness.
  
• ◑ Heavy light fittings should be anchored solidly to joists above ceilings.
  
• ◑ Defective electrical wiring, leaking gas and inflexible utility connections are potentially hazardous—have them checked out by specialists. Know where and how to shut them off at the mains in case of damage during the quake.
  
• ◑ Water cisterns/tanks are a potential danger if they fall over or burst in an earthquake. What’s more, the water they contain could save your life if services are cut off. Make sure they are secure and in good repair.
  
• ◑ Ensure shelves are safely fastened to walls. Place large or heavy items on lower shelves to reduce risk of injury. Put breakables in cupboards that can be fastened shut.
  
• ◑ Children’s play areas should be away from brick or concrete walls which are not steel-reinforced and could collapse during earth tremors.
  
• ◑ Ensure everyone in the home knows what to do in an emergency. Locate safe spots in each room—under sturdy tables or in strong interior doorways. Identify danger areas such as windows which may shatter or top-heavy furniture such as bookcases.
  
• ◑ Keep a regular check on your emergency kit. Store water in airtight containers and replace every six months. Reckon on at least 14 litres (about three gallons) of water per person for a 72-hour period or longer. Ensure medication and food supplies are not past their use-by dates. Make sure portable radio, flashlight and extra batteries are working. It doesn’t take long for old flat batteries to leak and possibly damage other emergency supplies.
  
• ◑ Devise a plan for reuniting family and friends after the disaster. You may be at work. Children may be at school. Transportation and communication may be disrupted.