The other day, I was about to start my morning routine when I flicked open the bathroom tap and nothing came out. Running to the kitchen sink toothbrush aloft, it was much of the same. Amid thoughts of calling the plumber or checking to see if there were local water main works, I realised I didn’t have any extra water in the house save for the last few drops in my water glass. Then I thought of the Be Ready campaign, and gritted my teeth – because part of the guidance had been to stockpile water, and I had rolled my eyes when I first read it. Humility is unpalatable at 6am.
Thankfully, the water came back on – the cause remains a mystery – but I was left wondering why the guidance had rubbed me up the wrong way in the first place. After all, storing things like matches and a flashlight are common sense. For me, it’s the unresolved anger I feel towards the Government around how the 2020 pandemic measures excluded certain individuals such as single people like myself, and a sense that should there be some catastrophic emergency, I doubt that will change and I will be left to figure it out alone. Especially because it already feels unrealistic.
While older single folk are likely to live in roomier accommodation away from urban areas, most younger single folk live with housemates, in studios or apartments. My own is a compact one-bedroom where I routinely have to cull my belongings to make sure there is enough room and no clutter. Where exactly are we meant to store three days worth of water? As for food, while there are supplies in the cupboard – there certainly isn’t enough space to store much more. As it is, I can’t store extra supplies of things like washing up liquid and bathroom supplies because there is no space to put them.
In a society that feels geared towards and around people with partners and children, it often feels like we are not just doing life alone, but there is little support or consideration around things that we may need extra help with. This applies ten-fold to people with disabilities, as well as single parents.
I had first-hand experience of it during the pandemic, when not only was I doing it alone, but I was also struggling through the very new disease that was long Covid. My symptoms ranged from deep fatigue to body ache. Some days, I couldn’t move from the sofa and this lasted for nearly a year. Compounding this was the lack of financial aid, because as a self-employed person, I fell into that bracket of people that were not eligible for help.
While there is discussion around what is the government’s responsibility and what is our own, as a single person living alone I know that I have to take measures into my own hands. A high-vis vest is on order, and I’ve made sure that a flashlight, candles and matches are all in one memorable place in case something happens. While it still isn’t realistic to keep three days worth of water in my flat, I can keep at least two litres on standby which is better than nothing. And, I will be having a conversation with friends who live close by about being an emergency contact in case things go bad.
When I posted on social media about what Be Ready looks like for single people in small accommodations, I got pushback from people saying I was over-thinking it. One scoffed that I could very well store cans on top of my bookshelf and was crying about nothing. But respectfully, I don’t want to live with a baked bean bookshelf. I work from home and clutter makes it hard to focus – I’d prefer to not have my home be a reminder of some catastrophe waiting in the wings.
But more than that, it’s the worry that we will be left to deal with any crisis alone. That in the solutions road-mapped, we will be missing from the plan. While the campaign encourages people to check in on neighbours, and to be aware of who might need extra help, it worries me that an emphasis is placed on us to provide this for each other rather than there being coherent guidance and support from the government. In lieu of having friends and family nearby, I’d like there to be more localised support that kicks in during an emergency, whether that is a larger hub that rations water or food, if not both, or a helpline/service that can be accessed for people who need help and don’t have anyone nearby.
And while yes, one could argue that this might be a good starting point to build community, witnessing how the pandemic brought out the good in some, but also the unremittingly bad in others, I think I am justified in feeling nervous about what is to come.
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