The newly published textbook focusses on the three key pillars of crisis preparedness in apartment buildings: relationships, supplies, and skills. “The textbook is based on the premise that crisis preparedness in an apartment block is most effective at the community level, specifically the cooperative level. The state has previously focused on people’s personal assets and skills, where there is also a significant gap, but community has been overshadowed by crisis preparedness. “We are attempting to fill this gap with a practical textbook,” said Hannes Nagel, head of the Crisis Research Centre and author of the textbook.

The textbook is intended for people who want to get started with crisis preparedness in their own apartment block, and it covers both improving individual crisis preparedness and establishing community crisis preparedness at the association level. “The manual is aimed at people who want to start community crisis preparedness in their homes. The emphasis is on communication, collaborative crisis planning, and human resources – there are many people living in large buildings who could help each other if well planned,” Nagel stated.

The textbook also discusses an individual’s own crisis preparedness as a prerequisite for assisting others. The chapters discuss the significance of preparedness in an urban environment, the role of community in an urban environment, and how to begin being a community. Topics covered include what to do if a crisis prevents you from living in the city and forces you to evacuate.

The Crisis Research Centre’s website offers the new textbook as an online resource, as well as the option to order it in print for postage. The National Foundation for Civil Society and the Estonian Ministry of the Interior supported the production and printing of the textbook through the Väike-Õismäe community-based civil protection K-24 project. The content of the textbook has been approved by the Estonian Rescue Board.