Emergency Planning & Preparedness

Emergency Planning for Your Family - The 5 step guide (pdf)

Additional Resources:

Emergency Management Ontario (www.emergencymanagementontario.ca)

Public Safety Canada - Emergency Management (www.publicsafety.gc.ca)

Canadian Red Cross (www.redcross.ca)

St. John's Ambulance Canadian Headquarters (www.sja.ca)

Risks affect our lives on a daily basis. In fact, we all accept a certain amount of risk -- but we reduce risks by making certain decisions. For example, if you perceive the risk of being hit by a car, you can reduce the hazard by crossing the street on a green light. There still remains the possibility of a driver losing control of a vehicle, but the risk is less significant and therefore at a more acceptable level.

Within the context of emergency preparedness, a risk is a possibility of sustaining personal injury or loss due to an emergency or disaster. An emergency can be caused by a natural phenomenon, a technological failure or a deliberate act. A disaster is a wide-spread emergency that affects a large number of people. This can reduce response times for people to get to you!

What can you do, be prepared your self to look after the basic needs for a 72 hour period or till someone can get to you and assist you.

We have seen many of these things occur over the last few years and lot of people had to endure through these things. They now know that it pays to be ready and have things on hand, rather than depending on others.

What if authorities advise you to "shelter-in-place," you must remain inside your home or office. You should seal all cracks around doors, windows and all air vents in occupied rooms and turn off all fans, heat and air conditioning. You must stay indoors until local authorities announce that it is safe to leave. This is another good reason to have an emergency kit at home and at work at all times.

Emergency Preparedness Week is an annual, national event that takes place during the first full week of May. The main objective is to increase awareness about individual preparedness. All the EP Week activities reinforce the idea that we can reduce the risks and lessen the consequences of a disaster by being better prepared.

All provinces and territories participate. Governments, first responders (police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, etc), emergency management officers, private industry, universities and non-governmental organizations all plan activities for EP Week; local media help spread the word in their community.

Families can make their own Emergency Plan and assemble Emergency Kits.

Emergency Survival Kit

• Emergencies and disasters can happen at any time. This could mean that utilities are out, roads are closed and we can't get the crucial supplies we need. Local, provincial and federal officials prepare for emergencies, and so can you.
• Everyone should be prepared to take care of themselves and their families for up to three days in the event of an emergency or disaster. With increased awareness of security concerns throughout Canada and the world, it makes sense to prepare for the unexpected.
• The lists below are recommended guidelines to help you gather the items you should have on hand and keep stored in a place everyone in your family knows about.
• If you are ever in an emergency situation, don't panic. People have survived three days without water and three weeks without food. Your home can retain heat for up to three hours in winter.

Checklists

Think of any special needs someone in your family might have, and include any other items that your family would need. Here are some suggestions:

Babies/toddlers

Diapers, bottled milk, formula and food, toys, crayons and paper.

Other family members

Keep at least one week's supply of medication in your emergency kit and include extra eyeglasses, spare batteries for medical appliances and an extra oxygen cylinder if needed. Include copies of prescriptions for your medicine and glasses.

Pets

Include a three-day supply of pet food and water. Food and water kit

Have at least a three-day supply of food and water on hand. Choose ready-to-eat foods that your family likes and that don't need refrigeration.

Canned food, such as soups, stews, baked beans, pasta, meat, poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits. Crackers and biscuits, honey, peanut butter, syrup, jam, salt and pepper, sugar, instant coffee, tea.

Water

At least four litres per person per day should be allocated - two for drinking and two for food preparation, hygiene and dishwashing. Keep a supply of water purification tablets on hand as well.

Note: Consume and replace canned food and dry goods once a year.

Equipment

• Knives, forks, spoons
• Disposable cups and plates
• Manual can opener, bottle opener
• Fuel stove and fuel (follow manufacturer's instructions; never use a barbecue indoors)
• Waterproof matches and plastic garbage bags
• Pocket knife or multi tool

Emergency survival kit

• Flashlight and spare batteries
• Radio or crank radio (so you can listen to news bulletins)
• First-aid kit
• Candles, matches/lighter
• Extra car keys and cash (including coins/cards for telephone)
• Important papers (identification for everyone, personal documents such as insurance papers)
• Food and bottled water (See "Food list")
• Clothing and footwear (one change of clothes per person)
• Blankets or sleeping bags (one blanket or sleeping bag per person)
• Toilet paper and other personal supplies such as shampoo, hairbrush, tooth brush and toothpaste, soap and a towel and face cloth (one for each person)
• Medication
• Backpack/duffel bag (or something else to carry the emergency survival kit in, in case you have to evacuate)
• Whistle (in case you need to attract someone's attention)
• Playing cards, games

Car kit

• Shovel
• Sand, salt or kitty litter
• Traction mats
• Tow chain
• Compass
• Cloth or roll of paper towels
• Warning light or road flares
• Extra clothing and footwear
• Emergency food pack
• Axe or hatchet
• Booster cables
• Ice scraper and brush
• Road maps
• Matches and a "survival" candle in a deep can (to warm hands, heat a drink or use as an emergency light)
• Fire extinguisher
• Methyl hydrate (for fuel line and windshield de-icing)
• Flashlight
• First-aid kit with seatbelt cutter
• Blanket (special "survival" blankets are best)

Important telephone numbers