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Survival handbook

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1. Mindset — the first five minutes decide it

1. The US Army manual starts with STOP: Stop, Think, Observe, Plan. Moving in panic is the biggest danger.
2. Set priorities with the rule of threes: 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without body heat, 3 days without water, 3 weeks without food. So: safe place → warmth → water → food.
3. Do not decide alone. Split roles with family and neighbours (information, water, watch).
4. Fear is normal. Break the work into small steps and check each one off.

2. Water — 3 litres per person per day

1. At least 3 litres per person per day (drinking and cooking). When supply stops, fill the bath, pots and bottles at once.
2. The surest treatment is boiling: 1 minute at a rolling boil (3 minutes at altitude).
3. If you cannot boil, add unscented household bleach (5–6% sodium hypochlorite), 2 drops per litre, stir and wait 30 minutes. A faint chlorine smell means it is ready.
4. Strain cloudy water through cloth or a coffee filter first, then disinfect.
5. Water points in Yokohama and Tokyo appear nearest-first on the HOME FRONT map.

3. Food — what to eat first

1. Eat fridge → freezer → shelf. A closed fridge keeps about 4 hours without power; a full freezer about 48.
2. A cassette gas stove and canisters (about 60 minutes each). Ventilate indoors.
3. Wild plants, mushrooms, fish: never eat what you cannot identify for certain. In cities, stocks and rationing beat foraging.
4. Salt, sugar, oil, cans and dry noodles keep long. Secure two weeks of regular medicines first.

4. Fire and light

1. Two or more lighters, waterproof matches, a torch (a headlamp frees both hands), spare batteries.
2. Candles tip over and start fires. After an earthquake use LED lanterns instead.
3. Never burn charcoal or run generators indoors. Carbon monoxide has no smell and kills in your sleep.

5. Keeping warm (and cool)

1. Wet clothes steal heat. Change into dry ones first. Layer to trap air.
2. Use foil blankets with an air gap — inside or outside clothing, not pressed against skin.
3. Hypothermia signs: shivering, slurred speech, poor judgement. When shivering stops, it is severe. Rewarm gently; do not rub limbs.
4. Heat: frequent water and salt. Move to shade; cool the neck, armpits and groin. If confused, call 119.

6. First aid

1. Severe bleeding: press hard and directly on the wound with a clean cloth. For a limb that will not stop, tie a wide band between the wound and the heart and write down the time.
2. CPR: if unresponsive and not breathing normally, push the centre of the chest about 5 cm deep, 100–120 per minute. Follow the AED's voice when it arrives (the HOME FRONT emergency screen has a beat).
3. Suspected fracture: do not move it. Splint with a board or magazine so it cannot shift.
4. Burns: cool under running water for 15–20 minutes. Do not peel off stuck clothing.
5. Crushed under rubble for a long time: pulling someone out suddenly can stop the heart (crush syndrome). Wait for paramedics.

7. Direction and movement

1. In case phones fail, mark home, work, meeting points and refuges on a paper map.
2. Direction: in Japan the sun rises roughly east, is south around noon, and sets west. Point an analogue watch's hour hand at the sun; halfway to 12 is roughly south.
3. Move by day, along buildings, in a group. Agree routes beforehand and a time by which you should be back.
4. After an earthquake, bridges, tunnels and underpasses risk collapse or flooding.

8. Calling for help

1. The international distress signal is three: three whistle blasts, three flashes, three fires. Repeat.
2. A whistle carries farther than your voice and costs no strength. Keep one in your kit.
3. To be seen from the air: bright cloth, mirror flashes, a large SOS on the ground.
4. Under rubble, do not keep shouting; tap pipes or walls with something hard to save energy.

9. Urban survival (blackouts, water cuts)

1. Toilet: when water stops, line the bowl with two bin bags and use newspaper or gel to solidify waste. Flushing can block pipes and cause backflow.
2. Power: keep power banks full. Dim the screen, aeroplane mode, battery saver.
3. Information: a battery or wind-up radio. Trust the municipality, NHK and disaster loudspeakers over social-media rumours.
4. Cash: cashless payment fails in a blackout. Keep several days' worth, including coins.

10. Nuclear and chemical

1. Nuclear: on the flash, drop and cover your face. After the blast, get to the centre of a building or underground. Stay in at least 24 hours; radiation falls to about 1/10 in 7 hours and 1/100 in 2 days.
2. If you were outside, bag your outer clothes indoors and shower (no conditioner).
3. Chemical: strange smells, many people collapsing, stinging eyes or throat. Go upwind; outdoors go high; indoors close windows and stop ventilation.
4. Cut contaminated clothing off rather than pulling it over your head. Wash with soap and water.