Chapter 6, Personal preparation of the Rotarian¶
The non-negotiable principle¶
"I secure my family first, then I serve."
A Rotarian who rushes to the club while their family is without news, without water, without shelter, becomes a distracted volunteer and a burden on others. Personal preparation is the precondition for any collective response capability.
Personal emergency kit, 72 hours¶
Every Rotarian prepares a kit for their family, stored in an accessible location (not at the back of the attic behind the Christmas boxes). The kit must be grab-and-go in under 5 minutes in case of evacuation.
Water and food¶
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Drinking water | 3 liters / person / day × 3 days | Sphere standard: 3 L minimum. North America: 3.8 L (1 gallon). Store in opaque containers. |
| Non-perishable food | 3 days per person | Canned goods, energy bars, dried fruit, crackers. No cooking required. |
| Manual can opener | 1 | Useless without one. |
| Water purification tablets | 50 tablets | In addition to stored water. Allows treatment of questionable water. |
Lighting and power¶
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| LED flashlight | 1 per person | LED = longer battery life. Headlamp to keep hands free. |
| Spare batteries | 2 complete sets | Check compatibility with the flashlight. |
| Battery or hand-crank radio | 1 | Only way to receive official instructions if the network goes down. AM/FM minimum. |
| Power bank | 20,000 mAh minimum | Allows 4-5 smartphone charges. |
| Portable solar charger | 1 | Backup if the outage lasts more than 72h. |
| Charging cables | 2 (types matching your devices) | USB-C, Lightning, Micro-USB as needed. |
| Candles + matches/lighter | 5 candles + 2 lighters | Last resort. Beware of fire risks. |
Health and hygiene¶
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| First aid kit | 1 full kit | Bandages, compresses, antiseptic, scissors, tweezers, elastic bandage, gloves. |
| Prescription medications | 7-day reserve | Update every 3 months. Keep the prescription in the kit. |
| Common medications | 1 box of each | Paracetamol, anti-diarrheal, antihistamine, oral rehydration solution. |
| Hygiene items | 1 kit | Soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, toilet paper, sanitary towels, wipes. |
| Hand sanitizer | 250 ml | When drinking water is scarce, do not waste it on hand washing. |
| FFP2 masks | 10 | Post-earthquake dust, fire smoke, pandemic. |
| Safety goggles | 1 pair | Dust, debris. |
Documents and cash¶
| Item | Format | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Copies of ID documents | Laminated paper + USB key | Passport, ID card, driver's license. |
| Copies of insurance policies | Paper + USB key | Home, vehicle, health. |
| Summary medical record | 1 sheet per person | Blood type, allergies, ongoing treatments, family doctor. |
| Emergency contacts | Laminated sheet | Family, doctor, insurer, Rotary club, local emergency numbers. |
| Cash | Small denominations | Equivalent of 200-500 USD/EUR. Payment terminals do not work without power. |
| USB key | 1 (preferably encrypted) | Digital copies of all documents, photos of property for insurance. |
General equipment¶
| Item | Quantity | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Spare clothing | 1 full outfit per person | Seasonally appropriate. Include underwear and socks. |
| Sturdy closed shoes | 1 pair per person | No sandals. Debris, broken glass, mud. |
| Survival blanket | 1 per person | Lightweight, compact, insulates from cold and heat. |
| Sleeping bag or blanket | 1 per person | If space permits. |
| Whistle | 1 per person | To signal your presence under rubble. More effective than voice, uses less energy. |
| Multi-tool knife | 1 | Victorinox type: blade, screwdriver, can opener, scissors. |
| Sturdy rope | 10 meters | 550 paracord: versatile, strong. |
| Reinforced duct tape | 1 roll | Temporary repairs, marking. |
| Sturdy trash bags | 10 | Waterproofing, waste collection, protection of belongings. |
| Paper local map | 1 | GPS does not work without battery. |
Family specifics¶
| Situation | Additional items |
|---|---|
| Infant | Formula (7 days), bottles, diapers (50), wipes, warm clothing, comfort blanket |
| Young child | Toy/book, extra change of clothes, favorite snack |
| Elderly person | Extra medications, spare glasses, walking aid, cushion |
| Person with disability | Specific equipment (wheelchair batteries, catheters, etc.), documentation of specific needs |
| Pet | 3 days of food, water, leash/carrier, vaccination record, medications |
| Diabetic person | Insulin (in cooler), glucose meter, fast sugar, glucagon kit |
Kit maintenance schedule¶
| Action | Frequency |
|---|---|
| Check expiration dates on water and food | Every 6 months |
| Replace medications | Every 3 months (prescription) / 12 months (common) |
| Check batteries | Every 6 months |
| Update documents | Annually or at each change |
| Full kit review | Annually (suggestion: July 1st, start of the Rotary year) |
| Adapt to seasons | Twice a year (clothing, blankets) |
Tip: Set a reminder in your calendar on January 1st and July 1st for the kit review. Make it a club event: "Kit Check Day", each member brings their kit, you check together, renew what needs to be renewed.
Family emergency plan¶
The kit is useless if your family does not know what to do when it happens. Every Rotarian's family must have a plan that has been discussed, is known to all, and has been practiced.
The 5 elements of the family plan¶
1. Meeting points
| Type | Location | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Primary point (nearby) | Less than 500 m from home | In front of the school, corner of X street, Y park |
| Secondary point (distant) | 2-5 km away, in a safe zone | Town hall square, supermarket Z parking lot |
Every family member must be able to reach both points from memory, via two different routes.
2. Out-of-area contact
Identify a trusted person outside your region (ideally more than 200 km away). In case of a local disaster, long-distance calls often get through better than local calls. Every family member calls this person to give and receive news.
Out-of-area contact: _______________________
Phone: _____________________________________
Relationship: ______________________________
3. Evacuation routes
- Main route from home to the secondary meeting point
- Alternative route (if the first is blocked)
- Route from the workplace
- Route from the children's school
- Rendezvous point if evacuation is ordered by the authorities
4. Documented specific needs
Write a sheet for each person with specific needs in the family:
Name: _____________________________________
Specific need: _____________________________
Required medications: ______________________
Essential equipment: _______________________
Mobility: _________________________________
Medical contact person: ____________________
Phone: ____________________________________
5. Distributed emergency numbers
Every family member (including children old enough to use a phone) carries a laminated card with:
FAMILY EMERGENCY NUMBERS [SURNAME]
National emergency: _________________
Fire department: ____________________
Ambulance / EMS: ____________________
Police: _____________________________
Dad/Mom: ____________________________
Out-of-area contact: ________________
Rotary Club of [city]: ______________
Family doctor: ______________________
Practice the plan¶
A plan that is not practiced is a plan that will fail. Organize a family drill at least once a year:
- Announce an "evacuation drill" on a Saturday morning
- Time it: how long to grab the kit and leave home?
- Meet at the primary meeting point
- Each family member calls the out-of-area contact
- Family debriefing: what worked? What did we forget?
Target: Leave home with the kit in under 5 minutes. Full family at the meeting point in under 15 minutes.
Useful specialized trainings¶
You are accomplished professionals. But unless you are an emergency physician or a firefighter, you probably do not have the specific reflexes for field crisis management. Three short trainings change the game.
First aid (PSC1 / BLS)¶
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Content | Life-saving gestures: cardiac arrest (CPR + defibrillator), bleeding, choking, fainting, burns, trauma |
| Duration | 7-10 hours (1-2 days) |
| Providers | Red Cross, Civil Protection, fire departments, certified providers |
| Cost | 50-80 EUR (often fundable by the club as a service action) |
| Refresher | Every 2 years recommended |
| Disaster value | You can save a life in the minutes before rescue arrives. In a major disaster, rescue takes hours, or even days. |
Club target: At least 50% of members trained in first aid. Organize a group session, providers come out for groups of 10+.
Psychological First Aid (PFA)¶
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Content | A three-step approach: Look (observe without judging), Listen (empathetic presence, no advice), Link (direct to appropriate resources). What PFA is not: psychotherapy, psychological debriefing, or "everything is going to be fine". |
| Duration | 4-8 hours (basic training) |
| Providers | Red Cross, WHO (free online module), universities |
| Cost | Free to 100 EUR |
| Refresher | Annual recommended |
| Disaster value | Psychological trauma affects a large majority of victims (post-disaster studies: 30 to 40% develop acute stress, some develop PTSD). Most do not need a psychologist, but a trained human presence. You are leaders used to human contact; this training is your natural extension. |
CERT, Community Emergency Response Team¶
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Content | Structured training program in community emergency response: fire suppression, light search and rescue, medical triage (START), team organization, stress management. |
| Duration | 20-24 hours (spread over 7-8 sessions) |
| Providers | FEMA (USA), local adaptations in many countries |
| Cost | Generally free (public funding) |
| Refresher | Annual (skill maintenance drills) |
| Disaster value | Trains citizens able to act in a structured way in the first hours, when professional responders are overwhelmed. Particularly suited to Rotarians: CERT teaches teamwork under a command system, exactly what a mobilized club does. |
Grant Management Seminar (GMS)¶
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Content | Mandatory training for any TRF grant application. 10 modules: types of grants, budgeting, governance, stewardship, reporting. |
| Duration | ~8 hours (online, self-paced) |
| Access | my.rotary.org, Learning Center |
| Cost | Free |
| Validity | Must be renewed each Rotary year (July 1st) |
| Disaster value | Without a valid GMS, your club cannot apply for a Disaster Response Grant. That is potentially 25,000 USD you cannot secure for your community. The Disaster Coordinator and the Treasurer must be GMS-certified. |
Recommended training by DRC structure member¶
| Role | Priority trainings |
|---|---|
| President | GMS, PFA |
| Disaster Coordinator | First aid, PFA, CERT, GMS |
| DRC, Logistics | First aid, CERT |
| DRC, Communications | PFA, crisis media (if available) |
| DRC, Finance | GMS |
| Any volunteer member | First aid (minimum), PFA (recommended) |
Personal preparation checklist¶
Distribute this checklist to every club member. Make it an annual agenda item in September (pre-winter period in the northern hemisphere; the Rotary year itself starts on July 1st).
- 72h kit prepared and stored in an accessible location
- Kit checked and up to date (last check: //___)
- Family emergency plan written and discussed with all family members
- Two meeting points defined and known to all
- Out-of-area contact identified and informed of their role
- Evacuation routes identified (minimum 2 routes)
- Emergency number card carried by every family member
- Family drill conducted in the last 12 months
- First aid training up to date (date: //___)
- Other trainings completed: _________
Reminder: This preparation is not a theoretical exercise. When the earthquake strikes at 3 a.m., when the flood rises in 45 minutes, when the storm rips off the roof, it is this kit, this plan, these reflexes that make the difference between a Rotarian who can serve and a Rotarian who needs help.