Survival Pod delivers emergency essentials

The Survival Pod is a waterproof shelter, a storage unit for first aid and food supplies, an emergency stretcher, a water purification unit and even a lifeboat in extreme situations. The compact, durable design from Euforia Design was inspired as a response to the devastating and recurring flood situation in Mozambique that leaves hundreds of thousands homeless and bereft of clean water, food and shelter.

During the last major flood in February of 2000, more than 600 people were killed and 14,000 rescued by helicopters and boats. Camps are ill equipped to deal with the requirements for shelter and water quickly becomes contaminated with bacteria and disease such as hepatitis and cholera in these situations.

With these considerations in mind, the Survival Pod was designed cater for all essential survival needs and is constructed from easily made or readily imported low-tech materials, enabling manufacture in Mozambique, or other countries susceptible to flood disaster such as Bangladesh, with benefits flowing to the local economies.

The Survival Pod is made from bright orange (for easy visibility in emergency situations) rotationally moulded polypropylene in two identical halves and the handles are bent segments of extruded aluminium. The rest of the parts including the water filter and intake hose are pre-fabricated and can be attached to the housing using inexpensive brass fixtures.

The units also stacks efficiently to optimise space for mass transportation and can be purchased and supplied by governments or international organizations, and distributed before or during an emergency situation. Euforia Design recently received the Gold Award for Design Explorations in The Industrial Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) 2003 for the Survival Pod.