Guide
Calm, clear tips on preparing, warnings, first aid and what to do in a crisis – always based on official sources.
Preparing
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Reaching your family when the network fails – texts, battery, radio, tracing
When everyone calls at once, the network is quickly overloaded. How to reach each other anyway – with short texts, a contact far away, a charged battery and the Red Cross tracing service.
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The document folder – important papers within reach
Certificates, contracts, insurance: what belongs in the folder as an original, as a certified copy and as a simple copy.
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The family emergency plan – meeting point, agreements, cash
When phones stop working, only what you agreed beforehand helps. A simple plan for families, couples and flatmates.
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The emergency bag – one backpack for when you have to leave fast
In a flood, fire or evacuation there is no time to pack. What the BBK recommends for your emergency backpack and what to grab at the last moment.
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The home first-aid kit for crises – what belongs in it
When pharmacies and doctors cannot be reached, a well-stocked first-aid kit helps. The BBK's list and tips on storage.
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Crisis preparedness in Vienna – water, radio and contact points
Why water usually keeps flowing in Vienna during a blackout, what people in high-rise buildings should know and what the city offers.
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Keeping your supply fresh – use and replace
So nothing goes to waste – how to store your supply, check it regularly and renew it as part of everyday life.
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Building an emergency supply – calmly, step by step
How much is sensible, where to start, and why even three days make a real difference. A calm introduction based on official advice from Germany and Austria.
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Water supply – how much you really need
The official amounts of drinking water, why cooking water belongs to it, and how to store water properly.
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Warnings and emergency calls
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The most important apps and websites for emergencies
Which official apps and websites in Austria and Germany warn you, help you call for help and save lives – and what you should set up today.
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Emergency numbers in Austria and Germany – and how to make an emergency call
All the important numbers at a glance, emergency calls without speaking and the questions the control centre will ask you.
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Warnings in Austria – understanding sirens and AT-Alert
What the three civil protection signals mean, how AT-Alert warns your phone and which setting you should check once.
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Warnings in Germany – NINA, Cell Broadcast and sirens
How the authorities in Germany warn the public, what the siren signals mean and how to make sure warnings and all-clears reach your phone.
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First aid
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Heavy bleeding and shock – press, lie down, cover
Almost any bleeding can be stopped with pressure. After that, shock is a danger. What you can do until the ambulance arrives.
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Burns – cool correctly, do not burst blisters
Use cool water, not ice. Why home remedies do harm, what to do with blisters and when you need the emergency number.
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CPR – check, call, push
When someone does not respond and is not breathing normally, every minute counts. How to do chest compressions for adults and children – based on the Red Cross.
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Recognising a heart attack or stroke – and acting fast
With both, every minute counts. The typical signs, the signs in women and what you can do until the ambulance arrives.
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Unconscious but breathing – the recovery position
Someone who is unconscious can choke on vomit or their own tongue. The recovery position keeps the airway clear – explained step by step.
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Hazards and what to do
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Cold and heating failure – staying warm, heating safely
What to do when the heating fails. Why carbon monoxide is so dangerous and how to recognise hypothermia and frostbite.
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Earthquakes – prepare, take cover, check afterwards
The earth sometimes shakes in Austria too. How to make your home safer and what to do during and after a quake.
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Fire at home – get out, shut the door, call for help
In a house fire you often have only about two minutes. Why smoke is the greatest danger, what smoke alarms do and how to get out safely.
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Floods – what matters before, during and after
Valuables upstairs, power off, stay out of the basement. The key rules from Austria and Germany and where to find current water levels.
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Heat – protecting yourself and others
Drink enough, keep rooms cool, look out for older people and children. How to recognise heatstroke and where to get advice by phone in Austria.
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Radiation emergencies and iodine tablets – what really helps
Staying indoors protects best. When iodine tablets make sense, who should take them – and why you never take them on your own initiative.
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Taking shelter and contact points – where to go in an emergency
Which rooms protect you from explosions, what the situation is with public shelters and where you get help and information during a blackout.
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Storms and thunderstorms – indoors is safest
What to do before, during and after a storm – from loose garden chairs to fallen power lines.
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Chemical accident or toxic cloud – stay inside, windows shut
When dangerous substances are in the air, fleeing is often more dangerous than staying. What to do before, during and after a pollutant cloud passes.
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Power cut – what really helps
Light, information, food and warmth without electricity – based on the checklists of Germany's BBK and the Austrian Civil Protection Association, with a few important safety tips.
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Mind and community
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Talking to children about crises
Children sense when adults are worried. How to explain honestly and in a way they understand, give them security and recognise when a child needs help.
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Help for the mind – when a crisis becomes too much
Fear, sleeplessness and feeling overwhelmed are normal reactions to extraordinary situations. What helps and where to find someone to talk to for free in Austria and Germany.
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Helping your neighbours – getting through a crisis together
In a crisis, neighbours are often the first who can help. How to support older people and people in need – and why it helps everyone.
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Staying calm when things get unsettled
Why being prepared eases worry, how to handle the news, and where to find support when it gets too much.
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