Many people are familiar with the Home Reserve 72 preparation recommendation. Home Reserve specifies the things a family can do for three days in an emergency. Village Reserve, on the other hand, contains information on first aid, first aid, emergency food and accommodation, and equipment that should be available at the village hall in case of emergency.
In Ilmajoki, the Nopankylä village association has increased its preparedness by purchasing a comprehensive first aid kit and a defibrillator for the village hall. In addition, the village hall has a village radio that works without a network or electricity using a generator. The village radio has a range of at least 40 km and, in favorable conditions, up to 100 km.
– Nowadays, people rely too much on the functionality of their mobile phones, say the village association activists Vesa Pihlaja-Kuhna and Toni Tuomela.
– For example, in the middle of a large-scale accident, networks cannot handle the load and can start to jam, but the village radio has frequencies to choose from. Handheld radios were also purchased for the village radio, which ensure communication when moving around the environment, Toni says.
The dust-filled aggregate in the shed is not charged.
The village association has been thinking about preparedness more broadly and wants to continue to invest in it. In addition to first aid supplies and skills and communication equipment, good preparedness includes water, food, heat and electricity. The village hall has acquired a generator and its functionality was properly tested last this autumn. Safe use of the generator requires a network transfer switch, which is also available at the village hall, and winter-quality fuel is available.
– To ensure water and food, villages should map out potable wells and springs, cellars for storing food, and possible field kitchens. It would also be good to have half-team tents, but they are not currently available for sale used, Vesa says.
Nopankylä is located about 20 kilometers from the center of Ilmajoki and has a population of over 200 people living in a relatively large area. However, there is a sense of community in the village and neighbors help each other, for example with snow removal. Community and caring for neighbors are invaluable resources for village safety.
In the photo, Vesa Pihlaja-Kuhna (left) and Toni Tuomela are going through the village hall's comprehensive first aid kit.
The 4K – Capable and Sustainable Partner Villages project, a joint project of the Leader groups in South Ostrobothnia, promotes community living, safety and preparedness in villages. The project brings villages, municipalities, organizations and authorities together. If you are concerned about village safety issues, Liiver can help you develop village safety.