When Disaster Strikes

Tsunamis account for approximately 40% of all natural disasters. Flooding has severe implications on human health. Rural villages are especially susceptible to flood damage, due to their poorly built homes and little resources. South Asia is a region that is especially prone to frequent and severe flooding. A recent tsunami has brought destruction to farming villages and the communities have had enough. They do not have the resources to stay safe.

The Danger

Diseases are spread by floods due to declines in sanitation, lack of access to safe drinking water, and the consumption of contaminated foods. Some include typhoid fever, paratyphoid, poliomyelitis, hepatitis A and E. After the onset of a flood, vector and rodent–borne diseases diseases also increase.

Essentials

People in the villages mainly need protective and safe equipment, as well as supplies for daily life. The hardest thing for them to get clean water.
-safety
-transportation
-clean water/food
Leonard Onyango, farmer.

“Tsunamis are wreaking havoc here and our only source of livelihood, rice, is threatened. The floods have washed [it all away] and are threatening to displace us. I only managed to salvage a few of our belongings when the water subsided,”
Day to day

After the tsunami hit, Leonard spends his time transporting his family and belongings and helping rebuild his village, which has also been damaged by the flood. There are feet of water still sitting in his home.

The Market

Child Carrier

Only offer storage for child, and no other of your belongings. There is no adjustment control, which could mean the difference between life and death. These are very rigid, making it hard to move around.
Dry Bag

Commonly used by people who are out on the water. Generous storage space but just a big catch all, no organization. Can’t wear this as there are no straps, meaning you are carrying more things.
PFD/Life Vest

These vests offer little to no storage space. They can only support one person at a time. Quite thick and bulky, restrictive to movement. Many of the PFD’s are a one time use.

White Space

There just aren’t good products that suit their needs. They need products that protect them from disease, and assist them in their time of need. It’s hard to pin down some competitors in the market. Most of the brands produce goods for first world countries. They have little to no space in other markets.

Tops: Helps to keep belongings above water level. Some flood suit brands are PK, Airgas, and MIRA.
Pants: Their clothes are soaked with contaminated water. Some brands that produce waterproof pants are Patagonia, Simms, and Orvis.
Shoes: If the water were to enter their system, it could cause big problems. A few brands that make waterproof boots are Sierra, Heartland, and Muck.
Bags: Dry bags offer lots of storage and water-tight. Some well-known brands are REI, NRS, and Pelican.
Vests: Most “safety” vests are just PFD’s. A vest that could keep a child safe and store items would be great. Some brands consist of NRS, ONYX, and HH.

Designing For The User

Taking all these factors into account, I got started on the actual design of the garment. With ideas ranging from boots to vests, I wanted to explore all the opportunities from head to toe. Some of the main focuses were adult and child safety, and transportation of belongings.

Refined Concepts

United Nations provided flood support pack. This pack will be disbursed by the UN and will come prepacked with supplies. The pack also features a detachable PFD, so you can use the bag as a daily pack, but when a flood comes you are prepared. All pockets and openings are water sealed.

International Federation Red Cross provided flood vest. This vest will be disbursed by the IFRC and will come prepacked with supplies. The vest also features detachable and color coded bags with all pockets water sealed. The child carrying system, allows for the user to keep a child safe from flood water by adjusting their height based on water level.

Final Direction

International Committee of the Red Cross provided flood vest. This vest will be disbursed by the ICRC and will come prepacked with first aid supplies, and a water filtration system. The vest also features detachable and color coded bags, so in an emergency you can easily round up your belongings. The child carrying system is inspired by traditional child carrying methods allowing the user to keep a child above the water by adjusting their height based on water level.

Inspiration

When building I changed the design of the front pockets to give respect to the countries this will be disbursed in. The shape, design and colors pay homage to the ASEAN flag (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). The zippers and logos are derived from the primary colors seen on the flag. While the front pockets take from the shape, patterns and color of the innermost section of the flag.

Testing

Making the patterns by hand allowed me to alter the fit of the vest. The rigging system for the child carrier took some experimenting, but I landed on a simple solution that will easily support a child’s weight.

Final Model

Features

With 3 detachable bags, 2 of which come pre-packed so you are ready to go when the floods hit. Thai being one of the most spoken languages in Southeast Asia, we see เงินตรา on the top pocket which translates to money. On the middle pocket ,โป translates to first aid, or care. The bottom pocket is branding from ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

Child Carrying System

Here we see the harness in action. Simply run the fabric through the shoulder loops, then tie a knot through the bottom loop to keep it in place.