Thread by @ai6yrham

Some of the items in this International Red Cross description of the issues in #Mariupol #Ukraine are a good measure of how desperate things are. i.e. "People started to attack each other for food." icrcnewsroom.org/story/en/1992/…

"People report varying needs in medicine. Especially for diabetes and cancer patients. But there is no way to find it any more in the city." Comments: very common in disaster zones; diabetic patients, those requiring refrigerated drugs; those requiring dialysis
suffer first.

"All the shops and pharmacies were looted four to five days ago. Some people still have food but I’m not sure for how long it will last." Comments: at least a two week (or larger) food supply for really big disasters (plus enough to share w/the unprepared F/F).

"Many people report having no food for children" Comments: particularly for families with infants/young families, need to have appropriate disaster supplies.

"People started to ruin someone’s car to take the gasoline out." Comments: gasoline runs out quickly for generators and vehicles in disaster zones.

"People are getting sick already because of the cold." Comments: appropriate, all weather supplies (clothing, blankets, etc.) useful in your disaster supplies.

"We found a way to collect some water. We still have some storage of potable water. When we run out of the stock, we will boil water from the stream. " Comments: store emergency water, have a way to purify it. Hope you're lucky and there are natural water sources (none here :-(.

"We try to give generator electricity to people from the street to charge their phones that they use as a flashlight at night." Comments: phones are bad as flashlights, use a real flashlight or headlamp, AA batteries. AA battery charger.

"We also found some sort of a black market with vegetables that is working so far but you can’t find meat or something like this. We will try to buy some food and eat some vegetables." Comments: have stuff you can barter for other useful stuff. A garden could be helpful, maybe.

"Hospitals are partially functioning because the city council delivers fuel." Comments: for non, life-threatening conditions, know first aid, have supplies on hand. Hope you don't need hospitalization!

"People started to attack each other for food. " Comments: security comes in groups; yes, might need a way to protect yourself (Americans overkill this with their AR-15's and 200,000 rounds of ammo though...)

Obviously, the poor folks in Ukraine don't have access to many resources, but there are some disaster prep lessons for everyone to learn from what they are suffering from. Terrible, terrible tragedy underway there.