The recently published ‘Apartment Building Community Crisis Preparedness Textbook’ provides simple and practical steps to help apartment building residents cope better during a crisis. Topics covered include the importance of community communication, how to start it, stockpiling supplies, and developing a crisis plan. The booklet promotes community building in large apartment buildings, particularly in areas where people are most vulnerable due to their reliance on central services.

Hannes Nagel also discusses the problem’s context, including why Estonia’s urban crisis preparedness is dangerously low, and how the lack of space, social individualism, and reliance on essential services make prefabricated housing particularly vulnerable in times of crisis. However, the solution lies in these houses, where people live in close proximity – and there are good examples of this in Estonia. Even in a large apartment complex, communication and action can lead to truly functional preparedness.