Be Emergency Ready. Are you Prepared?

“Emergencies and disasters are becoming all too common for many people throughout North America,” says Matthew Reid, The Salvation Army’s emergency disaster coordinator in Newfoundland and Labrador. “What is your emergency plan for you and your family? How will you cope and survive during an emergency?

Emergency Preparedness Week, May 6-12, is an annual event that takes place each year during the first full week of May and is an opportunity to encourage Canadians to take concrete actions to be better prepared to protect themselves and their families during emergencies.

“Most people haven’t taken time to discuss what to do in the event of a disaster or emergency situation,” says Reid. “When time hasn’t been dedicated to developing a family or household emergency plan, it increases the amount of stress during an emergency.”

When developing an emergency plan, Reid says you should include items needed to be self-sufficient for 72 hours. Reid suggests that you:

• create a list of things to purchase for your house during an emergency
• prepare an emergency kit and place it in a safe location
• not depend on technology during an emergency as it often fails

“Whenever our normal routine is interrupted it increases the amount of stress in our lives,” says Reid. “However, when we have an emergency plan and everyone in the household is aware of it, people cope better and are better able to make positive decisions for themselves and their family.”

Photo credit: Earl Noble