Natural disasters can happen at any time and can widely impact a community. Although we may never know when an emergency will take place, there are steps each of us can take to help better prepare ourselves, our families, and our community, to face and recover from an unexpected event.
May 1-7 is Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada, so the City is encouraging everyone in Vernon to take some time to consider whether their household feels ready to face an emergency, and if not, what simple steps could be taken right away.
“Over the past few years, communities in the Southern Interior have experienced a number of large weather-related emergency situations that have required people to take quick action,” said Mayor Victor Cumming. “While we never want to experience an emergency situation, being prepared with an emergency plan can make us more able to respond to these difficult situations.”
Emergency preparedness begins with three simple steps:
- Know the risks that are specific to our community and region
- Make a plan with everyone in your household
- Get an emergency kit to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency
“Emergency Preparedness Week is an opportunity to prepare for emergencies and protect ourselves, each other, and our community,” said Sue Saunders, Vernon’s Emergency Program Coordinator. “If every household, business, and neighbourhood learns about the hazards likely to occur in this area, develops an emergency plan (including where to find and validate information during an emergency), and prepares the resources they will likely need during an emergency, our community will become more resilient and able to withstand and recover from disasters.”
If you already have a plan in place, here are some additional steps you can take this week:
- Scan important documents to a secure location
- Check for and replace expired items in your emergency kit
- Make a plan for your pets
- Create a checklist of important items you use every day but that you’ll need to take with you in an emergency (i.e., medications, contacts or other personal items)
- Review your pre-planned meeting places to go to in an emergency
To learn more about emergency preparedness plans and what other steps you can take this week, visit www.PreparedBC.ca or www.getprepared.gc.ca
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