Van Daalen used to say that he was ‘obsessive’ about preparing for a disaster. “I have now thrown out the rubber boat and flints. You are more likely to need earplugs if you are taken care of in a gym with snorers,” he now puts things into perspective.
Van Daalen, deputy judge, lawyer and journalist, decided to turn his fears into investigations and wrote a book for people who are ‘just as curious as he is about the infrastructure and security of our country’. Whether that concerns electricity, water, or the internet.
“I always had fearful images of disaster scenarios in my head. With all the knowledge I have now, I admire that a lot of things are going well in our country. For example, the height of the water in canals and canals in the Netherlands is regulated down to the centimeter. It has given me peace of mind. I want to show that to others too. And share what you can control.”
Van Daalen: “You can also prepare well if you don’t have a lot of money.” © own photo
His book ‘Prepared’ is divided into seven chapters, in which Van Daalen provides insight into the operation and coherence of electricity, water, internet up to and including a possible war. According to the author, a disaster does not have to happen intentionally. He mentions recent examples, such as the blackout in Spain and Portugal last spring and the flood in Limburg in 2021, after heavy rain. But also disruptions such as this month at Cloudfare, simply due to incorrect configuration.
“It has such an impact if we have no electricity or internet for a while, or if there is water in our houses, even if it is only 30 centimeters.” It is one of the reasons that Van Daalen is working with a group of volunteers in Amsterdam to maintain an alternative communication network in case the internet goes out. “Only to send and receive messages. Communication is the most important.”
Van Daalen: “I understand very well that the majority of Dutch people do not yet have an emergency package at home. As if by prepping you have no confidence in the government or the world around you. I was ashamed of hoarding behavior and did not buy all those bottles of water at once. But if something really happens, the shame that you have not arranged anything and have to turn to others is much greater.”
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Think creatively
You may wonder after reading Prepared: Are a dipstick and sandbag really necessary? And how do you get that? “I didn’t make it all up,” laughs Van Daalen. “After the floods in Valkenburg, the experts in Limburg mapped out exactly what was needed. And think creatively: if you don’t have a sandbag, get a bag of garden soil from the supermarket to seal your toilet if the sewage water threatens to flow into your house.”
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Van Daalen: “Does it feel strange to prepare? You couldn’t imagine before 2020 that there would be a curfew because of a virus that had the world in its grip?”
Make sure you have this at home
According to the expert, we must have at least these five things:
1. Emergency radio
2. Power bank
3. Candles
4. Lighter
5. Water (9 liters per person)
Do you still feel unprepared? Stock up on long-lasting food, cash (70 per person), a flashlight, batteries, extra medication and a camping stove. “The great thing is,” says Van Daalen, “you can also prepare if you don’t have a lot of money.”
Solar panels and electric car
There are also things you may already have that you can use if necessary. Van Daalen mentions solar panels and an electric car. “If you want to use your solar panels during a blackout, you must install your system in such a way that you connect the entire internal electricity network to your solar panel system, and not directly to the grid. Or choose a solar panel system that has a separate socket.”
“An electric car, if it has a socket, can work as a battery: you can run your refrigerator, lights and air conditioning on it.”
Neighborhood drinks
According to the author, the effects of most disasters are local in nature, for example when the water is high. “You will then have to solve it with your neighbors. But how well do you know them? Not a bad idea to organize a neighborhood drink.”
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“You could appoint a coordinator and put together an emergency team,” Van Daalen tips. “Create a special WhatsApp group. But also consider which neighbors do not have WhatsApp and together identify vulnerable people and animals in the neighborhood.”