Life-Ready Society · Teacher and parent pack · Environmental dimension
Emergency Preparedness at Home
Emergency kits, heat, sandstorms, floods, cold and official alerts.
8 lessons, about 1.5 hours of reading. Free lessons, videos and full sources: https://lifereadysociety.com/emergency-prep/
How to use this pack. Ask your teen or class to read one lesson online (about ten minutes), talk through the key points together, choose one practice task to try this week, then use the quiz to check what stuck. The answer key is on the last page. Free to print for home and classroom use.
The lessons at a glance
1. Why prepare: thinking ahead about emergencies
At home, someone else probably kept the torch, the spare water and the calm head. When you live on your own, that person is you. Preparing is not about fear: it is a few cheap, quick habits that make a bad day much easier to handle.
Key points
- Emergencies happen every day; most are ordinary disruptions, not disasters.
- Know, kit, plan, stay informed.
- Many preparation steps are free and take minutes.
- Official sources first, always.
2. Building an emergency kit for a student flat
A good emergency kit for a student does not need to be big or expensive. It needs to cover a few days without power, water or shops, and to hold the documents you would need if you had to leave in a hurry.
Key points
- Torch, power bank, radio, first aid kit, water, food, medicines.
- At least 2.5 to 3 litres of drinking water per person per day.
- A grab bag holds documents, medicines and essentials for leaving fast.
- Check and refresh the kit each term.
3. Extreme heat in the GCC
You grew up with Gulf summers, but at home someone else kept the AC serviced and reminded you to drink. Living independently, heat becomes your job to manage, especially if the power fails or you are out in the middle of the day.
Key points
- Heatstroke is a medical emergency: call 998 in the UAE.
- Drink regularly; do not wait for thirst.
- Fans do not help above 40°C; AC at 27°C plus a fan is WHO's suggestion.
- A broken AC in summer is urgent: report it in writing.
4. Sandstorms and dust
A dust storm can turn a clear afternoon orange in minutes. For most people it is unpleasant rather than dangerous, but for anyone with asthma or allergies, or anyone driving, it needs a plan.
Key points
- Close doors and windows and stay inside when dust is heavy.
- Mask or damp cloth over nose and mouth if you must go out.
- Asthma: keep your inhaler with you and act early on symptoms.
- Drive slowly with recirculated air, or do not drive at all.
5. Floods and heavy rain
In April 2024 the UAE saw roads turn into rivers. Floods are also common in the UK and many other places students move to. Flood safety is simple, but it goes against instinct: the deadly mistake is usually trying to drive or walk through water.
Key points
- Turn around: never drive or walk through floodwater.
- 6 inches of moving water can knock you down; 1 foot can move a car.
- Stay away from wadis, flood channels and dams during rain.
- Never touch electrics while standing in water.
6. Cold-weather emergencies abroad
If you grew up in the Gulf, your first real winter can be a shock. Snow, ice, short dark days and a heating system you have never used all need new skills, and a heating failure in January is a genuine emergency.
Key points
- Heat the rooms you use to at least 18°C.
- Report a heating failure at once, and do not tough out a freezing room.
- Carbon monoxide has no smell: alarm, ventilation, and never a barbecue indoors.
- Hypothermia is a hospital emergency.
7. Staying informed: official alerts and apps
In an emergency, the right message at the right moment can tell you to stay inside, avoid a road or head to safety. Make sure official alerts can reach your phone, know what they sound like, and learn to ignore rumours.
Key points
- Official alerts reach your phone automatically; keep them switched on.
- When told to shelter, move inside, away from windows and glass, and wait for the all-clear.
- Never read an alert while driving.
- Verify before you forward; never film emergency operations.
8. A family communication plan when you live far away
When something happens in the city where you study, your family will hear about it on the news, often before you can call. A simple plan agreed in advance means they know how you will reach them, and you know who to contact if the phones are jammed.
Key points
- Text first; keep calls for real emergencies.
- Have a family contact, an out-of-area contact and a local contact.
- Agree what happens if they do not hear from you.
- Keep numbers on paper and update the plan each term.
Talk about it, then try it
The real-life practice tasks from each lesson. Pick one or two a week and agree when you will check in.
- Why prepare: thinking ahead about emergencies
- Write down the top three hazards for the city where you live or will study, and find the official page for each.
- Save your local emergency numbers in your phone and write them on a card for your wallet.
- Ask your halls, university or building management where their emergency procedures are posted.
- Building an emergency kit for a student flat
- Collect everything you already own for a kit into one bag or box this week.
- Work out how much water you would need for 3 days and buy it.
- Put copies of your passport, ID and insurance details into a waterproof bag and a password-protected digital folder.
- Extreme heat in the GCC
- Check your AC: when was its filter last cleaned or serviced? Ask your landlord or building management if you do not know.
- Plan your week so that errands and exercise happen before 10am or after sunset.
- Pick two cool public places near your home you could go to if your AC failed.
- Sandstorms and dust
- Check the weather app you use: does it show dust or air quality warnings? If not, add the official National Centre of Meteorology source.
- If you have asthma or allergies, check your inhaler's expiry date and keep one in your bag.
- Put a few masks and a pair of sunglasses or protective glasses in your emergency kit.
- Floods and heavy rain
- Find out whether your building or street flooded in April 2024 (ask neighbours or building management) and where water collected.
- Raise anything valuable that sits on the floor of your room, such as a laptop bag or extension leads.
- In the UK, check your address's flood risk on GOV.UK and sign up for free flood warnings if it is at risk.
- Cold-weather emergencies abroad
- Before winter, ask your landlord or halls how the heating works and who to call if it fails.
- Check whether your accommodation has a carbon monoxide alarm in rooms with a gas appliance; if not, ask about it.
- Buy a warm coat, gloves, a hat and shoes with good grip before the first cold snap.
- Staying informed: official alerts and apps
- Open your phone's settings and search for 'emergency alerts'. Make sure they are switched on.
- Follow the official National Centre of Meteorology account and your local police account, and mute rumour-heavy groups.
- Check that your university has your current phone number for emergency messages.
- A family communication plan when you live far away
- Agree a family contact and an out-of-area contact with your parents this week.
- Write a wallet contact card with three numbers and a meeting place.
- Write your 'I am safe' message template and save it as a note on your phone.
Quiz
Name: ______________________ Date: ____________ Circle one answer for each question.
1. According to the UK Government's Prepare site, how much do many preparation steps cost?
- About £50 each, plus a few hours of training
- Nothing, and they take only a few minutes
- They are only possible for homeowners, not renters
- At least a few hundred pounds for a full kit
2. Which of these is a main weather hazard in the UAE?
- Tornado season every spring
- Avalanches and heavy snowfall
- Volcanic eruptions and ash clouds
- Heavy rain and flash flooding
3. What is the minimum daily drinking water per person for survival cited on the UK Government's Prepare site?
- 25 litres
- 1 to 1.5 litres
- 2.5 to 3 litres
- 500 millilitres
4. Why does the Prepare site recommend a torch rather than candles?
- Candles cannot be lit during a power cut
- Torches last for weeks without new batteries
- Torches are safer than candles
- Candles attract insects into your room
5. According to WHO, above what temperature should you stop relying on an electric fan?
- 40°C
- 25°C
- 50°C
- 30°C
6. Which of these does Gulf News (July 2026) list as a sign of severe heat stress?
- Wanting a cold drink in the afternoon
- Mild hunger before lunch
- Confusion or being unable to sweat
- Feeling slightly warm after a short walk outside
7. When driving in a dust storm, how does Emirates Health Services advise using the car's air?
- Open the windows a little so fresh air keeps the glass clear
- Turn off the AC and open the sunroof to let the dust out
- Set the AC to bring in outside air on the highest fan speed
- Keep windows closed and use recirculated air, not outside air
8. If you must go outside during dusty weather, what do UAE health authorities suggest?
- Run between buildings so you spend less time breathing the air
- Breathe through your mouth only, as the nose traps too much dust
- Wear contact lenses instead of glasses to protect your eyes
- Wear a face mask or cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth
9. What does the UK Government's Prepare site say is the number one cause of death during flooding?
- Lightning strikes during storms
- Being hit by falling trees
- Driving through flood water
- Electric shocks from flooded homes
10. According to Ready.gov, how much moving water can sweep a vehicle away?
- About 1 foot (30 cm)
- Only water above the roof
- About 1 cm
- About 1 metre at least
11. What minimum temperature do the NHS and UK Government Prepare site suggest for rooms you regularly use in cold weather?
- 25°C
- 10°C
- 5°C
- 18°C
12. Why is carbon monoxide so dangerous?
- It smells strongly of rotten eggs, but people get used to it
- It has no colour or smell, so you cannot see or smell it
- It only harms pets and young children, not adults
- It shows up as thick black smoke that fills the room quickly
13. How do UAE emergency alerts reach phones?
- By an automated call to every landline in the emirate
- Through a government app you must download first
- By cell broadcast to every phone in the affected area
- By SMS only to phones registered to UAE residents
14. A UAE alert tells you to shelter while you are at home. Where should you go?
- Into the lift, to get down to the ground floor quickly
- Onto the balcony so you can see what is happening outside
- Outside to the car park, away from the building's walls
- Away from windows and balconies, to the centre of the building
15. Why does Habitat for Humanity recommend texting rather than calling after a disaster?
- Phone calls are banned in most countries during a disaster
- Texts travel by satellite, so they work when networks are down
- Texts are free on every network during a declared emergency
- Texts often get through when calls cannot, and calls can block urgent lines
16. What is the purpose of an out-of-area contact?
- They call the emergency services for you so you do not have to
- Everyone reports to one person outside the area, where calls can be easier
- They travel to your city to collect you once the emergency is over
- They keep copies of your passwords and bank details in case you lose them
Answer key
- B: UK Government, Prepare: many preparation steps cost nothing and take only a few minutes.
- D: u.ae and the National Centre of Meteorology publish guidance on heavy rain, floods and sandstorms; the April 2024 rain was the heaviest since 1949.
- C: UK Government, Prepare, citing WHO: a minimum of 2.5 to 3 litres per person per day; 10 litres gives more comfort and covers hygiene.
- C: UK Government, Prepare: torches are safer than candles.
- A: WHO: use electric fans only when temperatures are below 40°C, because above that they can heat the body.
- C: Gulf News (July 2026): more severe cases can cause high body temperature, confusion and inability to sweat; heatstroke is a medical emergency.
- D: Emirates Health Services (via Gulf News): keep car windows closed and use the internal air conditioning instead of outside air.
- D: Emirates Health Services: wear a mask or cover your nose and mouth with a damp cloth, replacing it regularly.
- C: UK Government, Prepare: the number one cause of death during flooding is driving through flood water.
- A: Ready.gov: 6 inches of moving water can knock you down and 1 foot can sweep a vehicle away.
- D: NHS and UK Government, Prepare: heat rooms you use regularly to at least 18°C.
- B: NHS: carbon monoxide is colourless and odourless, so you cannot see or smell it.
- C: Gulf News and The National: the UAE early warning system uses cell broadcast to reach all phones in the selected area.
- D: The National (August 2026): move away from balconies and windows to the building's central area and avoid lifts unless told otherwise.
- D: Habitat for Humanity: texts can often get through when calls can't, and heavy call volume can block people in life-threatening situations.
- B: Habitat for Humanity: list an out-of-town contact whom family members reach when they cannot reach each other; long-distance calls can be easier.
General information only, written from the sources listed in each online lesson. Laws, numbers and services change, so check official sources. Life-Ready Society, https://lifereadysociety.com/emergency-prep/