Photo: tech-faq.com

If recent tragic events in Japan have taught us anything, it is how being prepared for a disaster can save lives. While the death toll in the recent earthquake and tsunami in Northeastern Japan has reached nearly 20,000 as of this writing, experts unanimously agree that, frightening as the thought may be, things could have been much much worse. When China experienced an earthquake of lesser magnitude in 2008, the casualties were many times that of Japan, due in part to poorly built buildings in densely populated Sichuan, but also due to inadequate preparedness for an earthquake of such magnitude. While as individuals we can’t do much about government infrastructure, we can make sure that in the event of a disaster, we are personally as ready as possible. Here are some disaster readiness reminders for expats living in China.

1) Register yourself

While registering with your embassy should be a no-brainer, many expats put it off. Should a disaster occur, being registered with your embassy can enable your government to send help as quick as possible. In Japan, it is still uncertain just how many foreign residents may have been lost in the recent tsunami, as embassy records are often incomplete. At the same time, make sure that you keep your local registration with the Chinese police current. While this is a requirement for anyone working legally, many residents on an L or F visa may have avoided registering for fear of being “caught.” However, registration helps the Chinese government keep track of how many foreign citizens are living in certain areas and in a true emergency it could prove invaluable.

2) Register your blood type

This is particularly important for foreigners with Rh negative blood type, which is not particularly uncommon in the West, but is extremely rare in China. Many embassies keep a record of Rh negative citizens so that your embassy will have a list of possible candidates for donation should you need a crucial transfusion. Chinese hospitals generally do not keep Rh negative blood in their blood banks, so if you wait until you need the blood to start looking for sources it could be too late.  

3) Designate an in-country contact

Give your contact info and the contact info for loved ones back home to a local friend, preferably someone who speaks your language as well as Chinese, that your family can communicate with in case of an emergency. If your family is unable to contact you, having a local person on the ground helping them to look can make things easier. Your friend can also make sure that your family is contacted right away should anything happen to you.

4) Make a survival kit

While it might sound rather extreme, consider that currently in Japan one of the biggest problems earthquake survivors face is a shortage of food and water. Keep several jugs of water stored in a cool dry place and change them out every year. Also stock up on a supply of canned goods, which you can store for several years, and keep your pantry stocked with nonperishable food items.

5) Back up your documents

It is always a good idea in China to keep a copy of your passport and other important documents stored on your cell phone or portable USB or other mobile devices (or send them in an e-mail to yourself). In China, foreigners are technically supposed to keep their passports on their person at all times, but if you find yourself without your passport, having a copy handy can prove invaluable. If your important documents are lost in a disaster then having a copy will expedite the replacement process by quite a bit. Make sure that the originals of all of your important documents, plus copies of bank/credit cards, are stored in a waterproof container that is easily accessible in case of an emergency.

6) Have a plan

Make sure that your family knows what to do in case of an earthquake, flood or fire. Go over emergency routes with your children and ask the managers of your compound or complex (or have your Ayi or a friend ask) what the emergency route is for the place where you live. Train your children to get under heavy furniture or in doorways or stairwells during an earthquake and in a flood to flee to higher ground as quickly as possible. Make sure that you and your children know the emergency numbers in China. 119 is the number to call for firefighters, 110 is the number for the police, 120 is the number for an emergency ambulance.

7) Keep an emergency fund

Disaster or not, you should always have enough money in your bank account for at least a one-way ticket home should you need it. You never want to be stuck in a foreign country and while, in a true emergency, embassies will often charter flights for citizens out of the affected area, they will not necessarily offer you a free ride to your own doorstep! Recent flights chartered by the British government for British citizens out of Japan only took them as far as Hong Kong, after which they had to make their own way home. The lesson here is do not count on your embassy to pay your way; make sure that you have enough money to get home should the need arise.

8) Update your will

While no one wants to think about the unthinkable, when you are living in a foreign country it is especially important that your wishes, especially for your children, be legally expressed in writing. You should make a legal will in your home country before leaving for China, but if you haven’t yet then make it a priority on your next trip home. Once you have a legal will in your home country, get it translated into Chinese and notarized here in China through a local notary office, which will make it legally acceptable in China. Notary offices, or 公证处in Chinese, are abundant and easy to locate; just ask a Chinese friend for help finding one, or consult Baidu if you can read Chinese. If you are married to a Chinese person be sure to discuss where you would like your children to end up should one or both of you perish, keeping in mind that China will not necessarily turn over your children to appointed guardians in your home country, as China is not a signatory country to the Hague Convention (Hong Kong is, however). So it is best to make sure that your wishes are known and that both sides of the family are aware of these wishes ahead of time.
 

Related links
Survival Guide: How to Escape a High-rise Building Fire
How to Contact the Police in China and When to Do It
The Worst Case Scenario: Dealing with an Emergency at Home

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Keywords: expat tips disasters china disaster tips China disaster survival tips China How to prepare for disaster China