City of Bad Homburg | Emergency preparation for control center managers and crisis teams (Bad Homburg, Germany), Germany

Emergency Preparedness & Relief

Project Description

In the event of a natural disaster, severe storm, power outage or a technical system blackout, crisis teams are activated in cities and municipalities. These teams coordinate resources as necessary and initiate the appropriate response. The key focus is in maintaining the function of critical infrastructure (KRITIS)

During evaluations to determine the functional ability of critical infrastructure, the resilience and effectiveness of the City of Bad Homburg’s municipal facilities, administrative and internal operations were tested in a simulated emergency. Specifi cally, the services studied were those vital in providing basic resources, public security and the coordination of rescue operations in an emergency situation. A specifi c focus was the supply of drinking water, electricity, gas and medical support to residents. A failure of these organizational structures and crisis groups would have a signifi cant effect on citizens and on public order.

In evaluating the results of the study, it became clear that maintenance of critical infrastructure may require participation from management over an extended period. In the course of such operations, the management team would be unable to take care of their own families, which would create additional stress on staff members. This additional stress would mean that the management team would not be able to fulfi ll their function with 100 % reliability.

In order to minimize the associated risk, a simple solution was implemented: In a crisis situation, the City of Bad Homburg will equip the families of the above mentioned management staff members with an emergency supply kit. This will allow key personnel staffing essential positions to completely devote their efforts to resolving issues in the emergency. The emergency supply kits cover the three most important survival elements: Supply of drinking water, supply of food, and the necessary equipment to provide both. Katadyn provides a comprehensive kit, which includes the reliable and robust Katadyn Combi water filter, the Optimus Hiker Plus Multi-fuel Stove, and high quality emergency food products.

Products

Water Pack
Water is essential - without clean water a human being can survive for only a few days. For this reason, ensuring a supply of drinking water is a vital step in preparation for an emergency situation. The supply of water to residents’ homes can be interrupted, or tap water may become contaminated. Clean water is not only necessary for drinking, but also for the preparation of food and for hygiene. The ceramic filter found in the Katadyn Combi included in the supply kit can instantly turn bacterially contaminated water into drinking water without boiling and without the addition of chemicals. The Micropur Classic water treatment tablets, also included in the kit are ideal to preserve drinking water for up to six months.

Contents: Katadyn Combi Plus Ceramic Water Filter with tap connector, Micropur MC 10T Water Treatment for 400 liters, 3 folding 20 liter food-gradewater containers.

Technical Pack
A prolonged power cut can result in a series of problems in a domestic environment. There will be no electric light, the refrigerator or freezer will not function, and normal cooking becomes impossible. The equipment package was created with precisely these situations in mind, in order to guarantee both water and food supply even in a household without power. Please note: hot water is necessary for the preparation of our dehydrated food.

Contents: Micropur MC 10T Water treatment for 2 x 400 liters, Optimus Terra Cookset (2 pots with a frying pan which can be used as a pot lid), Optimus Spork (combined spoon and fork made of titanium), Optimus Hiker+ Multi Fuel Stove, multifunction travel dynamo with flashlight and radio, 2 x glow sticks (green), long-lasting candles (burn time 120 hours), 2 x folding 20 liter foodgrade water containers.

7 Days Food Package
The 7 day Emergency Rations comprises dehydrated and freeze-dried food. The meals are simple to prepare, and require only the addition of hot water. The stackable containers make the rations easy to store and transport.

Contents: 1 BP-5 Wheat Bar, 7 Orifo Bars (Caramel, Apple-Cinnamon, Cranberry), 1 Wild Mushroom & Soya Ragout with Pasta, 1 Potato Stew with Fried Onions, 1 Salmon Pesto with Pasta, 1 Beef Stroganoff with Rice, 1 Pasta with Soy Bolognese, 1 Creamy Pasta with Chicken and Spinach, 1 Chana Masala, 3 Swiss Muesli with Milk, 2 Whole grain Fruit Muesli. Storage life: 5 years.

Summary

In an emergency situation, it is essential that the management teams in the control centers and crisis teams can concentrate completely on fulfilling their tasks. Providing in advance for the basic needs of the family members of the management staff ensures that they can focus on the task at hand. The combination of the Katadyn Water Supply Package, the Equipment Package, and the 7 day Emergency Rations is the ideal means of achieving this.