In the Madrid power cuts, I saw patience and common sense – but we were woefully unprepared | María Ramírez

Iberian blackout showed resilience of basic services and for me, the calm with which most people reacted was remarkable.

But this extraordinary event has also exposed our many vulnerabilities in a power-dependent and internet-reliant world.

Few had conventional radios, offline phone alternatives, or even emergency supplies.

Civil protection infrastructure and preparedness are not part of our collective thinking.

Monday was a jolt; a reminder that civil emergencies don’t just happen to someone else. - María Ramírez is a journalist and deputy managing editor of elDiario.es, a news outlet in Spain .