What happens when the light suddenly goes out? Not for a few minutes, but for 72 hours. No electricity, no WiFi, no news supply, no refrigerator and no induction hob. The residents of Exloo were presented with that question last night during an information evening in the village house. The meeting started with a fake news broadcast on a large power outage. Laugh, but also think, because what if this really happens?
An employee of the municipality kicked off the evening and explained that this exercise was intended to discover what is needed in a village like Exloo during a long -term power failure. The residents thought about that.
Imagine, you’ve been without power for 48 hours. The fridge no longer works, your phone has long been empty and it has not been resolved by driving to Gasselte, because the electricity is out throughout the East and Northern Netherlands region.
“If you think about it, it is actually very special. You don’t see news item, you don’t know what’s going on and how long it will take. You only have your neighbors,” said one of the residents.
That is immediately one of the biggest worries: communication. Who tells what is going on and how do you stay informed? “There must be a new, primitive way of communication. Maybe Back to Basic With a sound horn or something that drives through the village to give updates. “
There is a certain peace without electricity. No online stimuli, no news, no crowds. “It is nice and quiet without electricity, but after one day you start to think, do I have to do something now?”
Over time, the practical problems begin to stack. No WiFi is annoying, but a resident continues: “I have a dairy farm. Wifi doesn’t matter, but the cows have to be milked.”
Another resident is not so concerned about himself, but immediately thinks of someone else. “For the elderly and people who depend on medical equipment, this is immediately a serious problem.”
One of the important conclusions of the evening was that there must be a central hotline. A place where people can go with requests for help, and where information is repeated and distributed.
“You must have one head location and possibly several small locations with specific themes. For example, care, food and communication.”
The municipality and the safety region must play a role at this location according to the residents of Exloo. “There must be a party that takes responsibility for communication. But we, too, as residents, play a major role.”
The residents quickly agreed, in a village like Exloo people help each other, which is strength in the community. “In Exloo we know each other and that helps enormously. The power of this village is that we help each other. The people around you are more important than electricity at that time.”
Nevertheless, vulnerable groups, such as the elderly or people in care homes, must be supported extra. Food supply can also become a point of care. “Panic comes quickly, people start to hoard in the supermarkets, just think of the Corona Pandemie. Maybe we should honestly distribute the food what is.”
This practice evening was a test, but it provided valuable insights for the municipality. They list the input of the residents of Exloo and can make a plan for the future.