Mamad Safe Room Supply Planner

Why Plan Mamad Supplies in Advance?

Every Israeli residence built since the 1990s includes a reinforced safe room, or mamad, designed to provide protection during rocket attacks or chemical incidents. The Home Front Command recommends stocking water, food, sanitation supplies, and entertainment items so families can shelter for several hours or even days. Yet many households underestimate how quickly water jugs, diapers, and phone batteries deplete in a sealed environment. This planner translates demographic details into concrete supply lists so you can prepare calmly before sirens sound.

The calculator focuses on three pillars: sustenance, space management, and energy. Sustenance covers water and caloric needs for adults, children, infants, and pets. Space management ensures your safe room volume and floor area can accommodate everyone without compromising air quality. Energy planning estimates battery capacity for LED lighting and device charging, essential for staying informed. The output includes a filter replacement schedule for residential overpressure systems, aligning with manufacturer guidelines.

Input Field Breakdown

Adult, child, and infant counts determine consumption rates. Children typically need less water and fewer calories than adults but more entertainment and sleep space. Infants require formula or baby food, so the calculator converts caloric needs into jar or pouch counts in the narrative. Pet inclusion matters because cats and dogs consume water quickly in confined spaces. The shelter duration field, measured in hours, accommodates both short alerts and extended events such as prolonged barrages or hazardous material leaks.

Room area and height help assess whether the mamad volume meets Home Front Command recommendations—roughly 10 cubic meters per person for extended stays. Water inputs default to widely cited preparedness figures (four liters per adult per day), but you can adjust them for hot climates or medical considerations. Calorie entries reflect average daily requirements; if you keep emergency ration bars, match their caloric content. Device wattage and hours let you estimate battery packs. Many families keep 10,000–20,000 mAh power banks; this calculator translates that capacity into required watt-hours based on your usage. Finally, the filter interval indicates how often to swap the air-filtration cassette in sealed mode.

Formulas Used

Shelter duration in hours is converted to days by dividing by 24, represented as . Water needs combine the daily allocation for each group multiplied by the duration: , where adults drink liters per day, children , infants , and pets . Calorie needs follow a similar formula for daily requirements. Floor space per person is calculated using typical allotments: 0.8 square meters for adults, 0.6 for children, 0.5 for infants, and 0.4 for pets in carriers. Air volume is area times height. Comparing available volume to required volume determines comfort.

Energy demand in watt-hours equals device wattage multiplied by hours of use. For example, an 8-watt LED lantern running six hours consumes 48 watt-hours daily. A 20-watt charging block used two hours adds 40 watt-hours. Total battery storage must exceed the sum multiplied by days sheltered. Filter swaps are scheduled by dividing the shelter duration by the interval and rounding up to ensure you have enough cartridges.

Worked Example

Imagine a family of two adults, two school-age children, and one toddler planning for a 36-hour stay. Using default water values, the planner recommends 12 liters for adults (4 liters × 1.5 days × 2), 9 liters for children, 2.25 liters for the toddler, and 1.5 liters for a pet—roughly 24.75 liters total. Calorie needs translate to 6,600 calories for adults, 4,800 for children, and 1,350 for the toddler. The narrative suggests stocking eleven 600-calorie meal bars or equivalent shelf-stable meals for adults and multiple baby food jars for the toddler.

With a 12-square-meter room and 2.6-meter ceiling, air volume is 31.2 cubic meters. The planner estimates the family requires about 27.4 cubic meters, leaving a buffer for stored supplies. Floor space needs total 3.8 square meters, leaving ample standing room. LED lighting and charging consume 132 watt-hours per day. Over 1.5 days, the family should prepare at least 198 watt-hours of battery capacity—two fully-charged 10,000 mAh power banks or a small solar generator. The 36-hour stay divided by an 8-hour filter interval calls for five filter checks, so the family should keep one spare cassette in the mamad.

Scenario Comparison Table

The table demonstrates how requirements scale with people and time. Longer stays quickly multiply battery needs, underscoring the value of rechargeable lanterns or crank radios. Water should be stored in multiple containers to share weight and avoid contamination. If space is limited, prioritize sealed 1.5-liter bottles and collapsible jugs that can be filled immediately before an escalation.

Output Interpretation

The results panel summarises total quantities, floor-space adequacy, and air-volume compliance. It highlights whether your room meets the recommended 10 cubic meters per person guideline. If volume is tight, the narrative suggests rotating people out when safe or removing bulky furniture. The planner also lists recommended sanitation supplies: garbage bags, wet wipes, diapers, and pet litter based on your household composition.

CSV downloads include per-person breakdowns so you can assign packing responsibilities. Each row lists an item category and the quantity to pack. Share it with neighbors to coordinate communal resources or with building committees that manage shared shelter supplies.

Maintaining Readiness

Supplies degrade over time, especially water and batteries exposed to summer heat. Use the planner quarterly to refresh quantities and set a rotation schedule. Mark expiration dates on a checklist taped to the mamad door. Consider storing freeze-dried meals, which last longer than canned goods, and keep a manual can opener. Include duplicates of medications, inhalers, and baby formula in sealed containers with humidity absorbers.

Ventilation is critical in sealed mode. Practice switching the mamad to overpressure operation and rehearse filter swaps using the schedule the calculator generates. Many families assign roles: one adult monitors news updates, another manages children’s activities, and older kids handle pet care. Building a routine reduces anxiety during actual alerts.

Limitations and Assumptions

The planner assumes Home Front Command guidelines for water and space, but individual medical needs may require adjustments. It does not account for special equipment like oxygen concentrators or refrigerated medications. For extended crises beyond 72 hours, consult municipal emergency plans. Likewise, energy calculations presume 100% efficient power banks; real-world performance may be 10–15% lower. Always charge batteries before storing them and test lanterns monthly.

Ultimately, a well-stocked mamad offers peace of mind. Use this tool to create shopping lists, label storage bins, and brief family members on their roles. Preparation turns an unexpected siren into a structured, manageable experience rather than a scramble for essentials.