The city in a crisis

Cities are built for efficiency. Shops often keep only small stocks because deliveries arrive constantly. In many buildings water is pushed to the upper floors by electric pumps. Paying, refuelling, phoning and getting information all depend on electricity and data networks. In daily life you notice none of this, but in a disruption you notice it very quickly.

Because so many people in a small area use the same networks, an outage immediately affects a huge number of households. Mobile networks can be overloaded because everyone is calling at once. Shops empty, roads jam, and emergency services have to decide whom to help first. Authorities therefore stress that in large-scale incidents not every household can get help immediately.

At the same time the city has strengths that the forest lacks: short distances, many people who can help each other, and facilities planned for emergencies. The best strategy uses those strengths. Usually that means staying at home well supplied, being reliably informed and involving the neighbourhood, rather than rushing off.

A basic stock at home is the foundation: water, long-life food you can eat without a cooker, important medication, hygiene items, a light, batteries and some cash. How much makes sense is recommended by the authorities in your country; those recommendations are a good guide. A battery or crank radio matters because it still works when power and internet are gone.

If you live in a high-rise, think about water and stairs. In a power cut the lifts stop and water pressure on upper floors may fail. A water stock in the flat is especially important there. Also clarify how people in the building who cannot use the stairs, such as older or disabled people, will be supported.

Know the way home from work, school or nursery on foot as well. Comfortable shoes at the office are a small but effective trick. Agree a meeting point within the family and a person outside the city whom everyone contacts if you cannot reach each other. Find out whether your city provides emergency information points or water distribution points, and where they are.

Carbon monoxide is the hidden danger during power cuts. Grills, gas stoves, outdoor patio heaters and generators produce this gas, which you can neither see nor smell. It can build up dangerously in a flat, basement, stairwell or underground car park. Headache, dizziness and nausea in several people in the same room are a warning sign: get into fresh air at once and call the emergency number (112 in the EU). There is also the fire risk from candles; torches are safer.

In a crisis the authorities decide whether to stay at home or leave the area. Follow these instructions and get information via radio, warning apps and official channels. Do not pass on rumours from social media unchecked – false reports spread especially fast in a crisis and can put people in danger.

In dense crowds keep away from bottlenecks such as passageways and stairs, keep exits in view and do not move against the flow. If it gets tight, move to the edge of the crowd early, before the pressure becomes too great. If you trip or drop something in a crush, it is better not to bend down for it.

Power cut in the afternoon: the train has stopped, your phone is at half charge. Instead of waiting for ages, you walk the route you know and send your family a short text rather than calling – text messages often get through overloaded networks more easily. At home you switch on the radio and check on the older neighbour.

Water fails on the upper floors: whoever has a small stock stays calm and can even share some with others. Whoever does not should follow official notices about distribution points. Tap water that returns after a disruption is not automatically safe to drink straight away; watch for notices from the water supplier.

In an unfamiliar city when travelling you know neither the routes nor the neighbours. Then the guidance of your accommodation and the local authorities helps, along with contact with your embassy or consulate and documents kept at hand. This text deliberately does not cover behaviour during violent incidents or attacks; the authorities publish separate guidance for that.