Is your family prepared for an emergency?

With wildfires, floods, snowstorms, and heatwaves reoccurring in Canada, every household should be prepared in the case of an emergency. To help make sure you’re ready, follow these tips from the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs:

Know your risks 
Do an inventory of hazards in your community. Do you live in an area prone to extreme heat or extreme cold? Do you live near a forest? Should hazardous material spills be a concern? What about power outages, flooding, tornadoes or windstorms?

Make a plan
Consider things you can do before, during and after a power outage. You can create a custom family emergency plan using tools found on the Government of Canada emergency preparedness website.

Get an emergency kit
Tailor your kit to your family’s needs. Make sure your emergency preparedness kit is organized, easy to carry and easy to find. Ensure the following basics are included:

  • Two litres of water per person per day
  • Food that won’t spoil, such as canned goods, energy bars and dried foods
  • Manual can opener
  • Flashlights loaded with trusted batteries like Duracell
  • Battery-powered or wind-up radio
  • First aid kit
  • Cash, including smaller bills
  • Medication, prescriptions
  • Whistle
  • Local maps
  • Extra Duracell batteries in case of power outage

“We recommend creating a kit that will allow you to be self sufficient for a minimum of three days,” says Chief John McKearney, president of CAFC. “People who are prepared to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours after a disaster make it easier for first responders to help those who urgently need it.”

credit – newscanada