Serbia's President Resigns After Protests Sparked by 16 Deaths

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The Ready Brief #210

Practical preparedness for uncertain times

When my first kid was born, I had a go-bag packed with MREs and a water filter. I did not have extra diapers, formula, or infant Tylenol. Priorities were, let's say, miscalibrated. If you're a new parent or expecting, this issue is for you. If you're past that stage, forward it to someone who needs it.

The New Parent Emergency Kit

Standard emergency kits assume adults. They assume you can eat whatever's available, walk long distances, and manage stress without also keeping a tiny human alive. When you have a baby or toddler, every assumption changes.

Babies can't eat MREs. They can't regulate their body temperature as efficiently as adults. They need specific supplies that expire, run out, and take up space. And they need those supplies right now, not after a trip to a store that might be closed.

The most critical item is food. If you're breastfeeding, your supply is built in, but stress and dehydration can reduce it. Keep extra water set aside specifically for nursing. If you're formula feeding, maintain a two-week rotating supply. Powdered formula has a longer shelf life than liquid, and you'll need clean water to mix it. A small supply of distilled water stored separately handles that.

Diapers and wipes seem obvious, but people underestimate how fast they go through them during a stressful period when routines break down. A baby uses 8 to 12 diapers per day. Two weeks is roughly 100 to 170 diapers. Buy a box ahead and rotate it into regular use. Cloth diapers as a backup are worth considering, even just a small stack for extended situations.

Medications matter more with little ones. Infant acetaminophen, a digital thermometer, saline drops, diaper cream, and any prescription medications should be in your kit. Babies get sick at the worst times. Having basics on hand means you're not searching for an open pharmacy at 2 AM during a power outage.

Temperature control is next. Babies lose heat faster than adults. Keep a warm sleep sack, extra onesies, and a blanket in your emergency supplies. In hot climates, lightweight breathable layers and extra fluids are the priority. Either way, have a plan for keeping the nursery livable if the HVAC goes down.

Comfort items shouldn't be overlooked. A pacifier, a familiar blanket, a small toy. These things aren't luxuries during a stressful event. They're tools for keeping a baby calm so you can focus on problem-solving.

Finally, documentation. Keep copies of your baby's medical records, insurance cards, pediatrician's contact info, and any allergy information in a waterproof bag. In an evacuation, you need this stuff fast.

Build this kit gradually. You don't need everything at once. Start with a three-day supply and expand to two weeks over the next month. Rotate perishable items during regular use so nothing expires. The goal isn't perfection. It's having something ready so you're not improvising while sleep-deprived and stressed.

Build a 72-hour baby supply box.

Grab a small bin. Put in three days' worth of diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, formula or nursing supplies, infant medication, and a comfort item. Label it and store it where you can grab it in a hurry. Do it this weekend.

Nepal Floods Kill 14 More, a Month After a Glacier Collapse Left About 1,450 Dead

Floods and landslides since September 24 have killed at least 14 people in Nepal, with 11 missing, according to Al Jazeera. The Kathmandu Post counted 12 dead and 7 missing on September 27, with more than 1,100 people moved to safer ground. Flood warnings now cover 49 districts, including areas hit by the August 26 Langtang glacier collapse, which killed about 1,450 people. Counts are still changing. Ground already soaked or scarred by one disaster gives way faster in the next. If you live near a slope or burn scar, check your county's flood and landslide alerts this week.

Source: Al Jazeera, The Kathmandu Post, ExplorersWeb

Mykel Hawke is a retired Special Forces officer who co-wrote Family Survival Guide with his wife, Ruth England Hawke. The book is written for households with children rather than solo survivalists, and its subtitle promises the best ways for families to prepare, train, pack and survive. The paperback runs about $19.

The takeaway: plan for your family as it is. A baby means extra weight in the bag, slower moves and more supplies, so build the kit for that now.

Serbia's President Resigns After Protests Sparked by 16 Deaths

Aleksandar Vucic resigned as Serbia's president on September 27, seven months before his term ended, and will lead his party into parliamentary elections on October 25, Reuters reported. He can't run for a third presidential term, but he could become prime minister if his Serbian Progressive Party forms the next government. Student-led protests began after a railway station awning collapsed in Novi Sad in November 2024, killing 16 people, and have drawn hundreds of thousands, according to Al Jazeera. Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabic is acting president, and a presidential vote must follow by the end of December. If you travel to Serbia before late October, check your embassy's alerts and stay clear of large demonstrations.

Source: Reuters, Al Jazeera

Skip Hop Forma Diaper Backpack

This works as a dual-purpose diaper bag and mini go-bag. It has two removable storage cubes, insulated side pockets for bottles, a changing pad and built-in stroller straps, and the backpack design keeps your hands free while you carry a child.

At about $63, it's well made without being overpriced. Keep three days of basic supplies in it at all times.

Budget alternative: Any mid-size backpack with a zip-out organizer insert ($20 to $30). Function over branding.

Overrated: Baby-specific emergency kits sold online. Most are overpriced bundles of generic supplies with a markup. Build your own for half the cost.

Underrated: Cloth diapers as backup. Even if you use disposables daily, a small stack of cloth diapers weighs almost nothing and gives you options when supplies run out.

Mushroom cultivation. It sounds niche, but growing protein-rich food indoors with minimal space and no soil is one of the most underrated preparedness skills out there.

How was today's issue? Tap one below. If you pick "Could be better," tell us what to fix.

PS: To every new parent reading this at 3 AM while the baby sleeps on your chest: you're doing great. Building a kit is just one more way you're looking out for them.