disaster preparedness

Pets are our best friends and they are also known to be incredibly crucial in reducing stress, anxiety, depression, and boost overall wellbeing. Given the times, the number of people adopting and relying on emotional support animals is only increasing. They are family and that means that they have to be protected like a member of the family – no one gets left behind. This clever animal carrier was designed to prepare you and your furry companion for disasters by equipping you with emergency kits that work for your needs and the needs of your emotional service pet.

While we love and care for them as we do for our own children, there is not enough being done in terms of disaster preparedness for them. Evacuating with animals needs a lot of advance preparation and most people are unprepared due to a lack of information or kits that are made for this specific situation. As emotional support/companion animals are increasingly becoming a new norm, we need a kit like Base which ensures their safety while doubling up as an everyday pet furniture item in the house. In the event of a disaster, you can rely on the built-in emergency kit by using Base as a carrier for your pet. The shape is inspired by a friendly cave that makes animals feel protected keeping it aligned with their natural instincts of hiding when they are scared. The product consists of two parts- the left side of the kit provides basic products and the right side can be selected by the user according to the companion animal species making it usable for a wide variety of people and pets. It also comes with rescue request stickers that help neighbors to identify the pet and help to rescue them in the case of any unfortunate events.

“The emergency kit with disaster necessaries for companion animals is built-in the bottom of the carrier, so it can be safely handled during the evacuation period by simply carrying Base carrier with the companion animal. It provides disaster preparedness manuals and emergency kits while also functioning as a carrier, allowing users to protect their companion animals from disasters. It has Disaster Preparedness manuals in the form of brochures so users are prepared for disasters in advance. It has information about what users need to know and a checklist to identify items needed in the event of a disaster, making it easy to be prepared” says the design team. In normal times, the Base can be used as an aesthetically pleasing modern pet house. Base is basically (see what I did there?) the Clark Kent of pet essentials – a sweet pet house every day that turns into a heroic product in times of crisis.

Designers: HeeSu Choi, HyoWon Son, and JiSeung Lee.

A clock serves as an indication of whether you’re on time, early, or running late. The clock practically guides you through your day, directing your life, but the Life Clock by Gyeonggido Company & SWNA design studio does much more. Designed as a disaster survival kit, this clock can practically save lives by allowing you to be prepared during a disaster. The clock comes with a hollow internal compartment that houses its own kit of emergency products. It comes with two potent glow sticks that can each shine for 12 hours, wrapped in a metallic foil that you can fashion a reflector cone out of and use as a makeshift flashlight. A foil blanket allows you to maintain core body temperatures by trapping body heat through thermal reflection, while an emergency two-tone whistle allows you to signal for help. If you have access to a window or opening you can’t reach, the helpline can be used to guide people to you by simply tying one end to yourself and throwing the other end outside. Lastly, a gauze bandage allows you to cover any cuts or wounds, compressing the injury to stop the bleeding.

The Life Clock also comes with extra space that you can use to store a pair of glasses, medicine, batteries, or even a nutrition bar to help you stay alive and safe until help is on its way.

Designers: Gyeonggido Company & SWNA design studio.