Emergency Preparedness Week runs May 5-11 across Canada.
This year’s theme is ‘Be Prepared. Know Your Risks’ with the intent to encourage Canadians to understand the risks in their area and learn what actions they can take to protect themselves, their families, and their properties, according to Ponoka RCMP.
Due to the geographic diversity of the province, several different emergencies can affect Albertans.
“We can experience infrastructure failures like power outages, train derailments, and oil spills, or natural disasters like floods, wildfires, blizzards, tornadoes, and heat waves. It is important to be prepared to respond to these emergencies as they arise, whether that means sheltering in place or evacuating to a safe location,” noted a release.
With Emergency Preparedness Week coming up, Ponoka RCMP offers the following tips on how to minimize risks during an emergency.
• Prepare an emergency kit that is readily accessible in case of evacuation. The kit should include water, food that won’t spoil, a manual can opener, a wind-up or battery-powered flashlight and radio, a first aid kit, extra keys to cars and homes, cash, important family documents such as ID, insurance and bank records, and your emergency plan including contact information.
It should also include any prescription medication, pet supplies, and baby food as needed.
• Create a household preparedness plan including emergency exits, evacuation routes, safe meeting spots, and important contact information. Make sure all family members know the emergency plans, fully understand their responsibilities and know how to reach one another in case an emergency is declared and you are not together.
• Always make sure your home and property are secured, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your belongings.
• If you have pets, ensure you have identified animal-friendly accommodations in case of evacuation, or pet boarding and care facilities.
• For farms, create a list of equipment, supplies, and tools needed to evacuate or transport livestock. Keep records of equipment, livestock, and supplies on your premises. As well, have the plan to identify livestock in case of evacuations, i.e. tattoos, tags, etc.
• Ensure you are following the instructions of emergency services. Ignoring emergency alerts and evacuation orders can put your life and the lives of your family in danger, and hinder the efforts of emergency services response efforts.
For more tips on how to prepare for emergencies visit https://www.alberta.ca/emergency-preparedness.
To stay informed about emergencies in your community, sign up for Rave Mobile Safety Alerts at www.ruralcrimewatch.ab.ca/l/rave and download the Alberta RCMP App and the Alberta Emergency Alert App from the Apple Store or Google Play.