Although recent events such as Hurricane Katrina and the tsunami in Asia have increased awareness of emergency situations, relatively few Canadians have put together an emergency survival plan. A well thought-out plan, including the availability of appropriate supplies, will increase the chance of survival and well being, should an emergency strike.
In response to the risk of emergency situations, including earthquakes, tsunamis, disease outbreaks, landslides, droughts and flooding, the Canadian government is putting together an emergency preparedness guide, which will be delivered to all Canadian households later on in the year. The guide outlines what you need to know to survive the first 72 hours that follow a disaster or emergency.
In conjunction with this government initiative, St. John Ambulance and The Salvation Army have combined efforts to make available for sale two emergency preparedness kits - the Ready Kit and Ready Meal Plus. These kits will be available for purchase from London Drugs in mid-May.
What's in the Kits?
The Ready Kit is designed for an entire household. It provides 72 hours of supplies including reserve power for light and radio. The supplies you will receive include:
- Deluxe backpack
- Compact First Aid kid
- 2 biohazard waste bags
- 2 boxes of tissues
- Leather palm safety gloves
- Water resistant AM/FM radio
- Flashlight
- 2 gallon water bag
- 12-hour light stick
- Family communication plan
- Emergency preparedness manual
- Bleach bottle with cap
- 4 AA batteries
The Ready Meal Plus kit is designed for one person and contains a 72-hour supply of food and water. The items contained in this kit include:
- 10 pouches of water
- 24 food bars
- 1 light stick
- 1 N95 respirator
- 1 thermal blanket
- 1 emergency poncho
- 1 emergency whistle
The Canadian government and emergency response associations strongly recommend that all Canadians avail themselves of these kits and ensure that they have a preparedness plan to put into action in the event of an emergency.
Making a Plan
The emergency preparedness manual that is included in the Ready Kit will help you assess the specific emergencies that could impact your province. British Columbia, for example, is more likely to experience an earthquake or tsunami than the prairie provinces, where drought or flooding is more likely.
If a disaster happens in your community, it may take emergency workers some time to get to you as they help those in desperate need. You should be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for a minimum of 72 hours.
Your emergency plan should include:
- establishing exit routes from your home and neighbourhood
- having one or more fire extinguishers in your home and knowing how to use them
- knowing the location of your water valve, electricity breaker box and gas valve
- having a plan for people with special health needs such as the elderly and those with medical conditions
- having a two-week reserve of necessary medications
- knowing what plans your child's school and/or daycare have in place
- having an out-of-town contact
- maintaining a list of essential phone numbers, including that of your doctor/s
- having an emergency kit as described above and
- having extra supplies that will make the time that follows an emergency more comfortable and safe. These include:
- a change of clothing and footwear for each household member
- sleeping bag or bedroll for each household member
- toilet paper and other personal care supplies
- extra keys for car and house
- cash in smaller bills, and change for pay phones
- basic tools (hammer, pliers/wrench, screwdrivers, fasteners, work gloves)
- small fuel-driven stove and fuel (follow manufacturer's instructions and store properly)
Since you will not necessarily be at home when disaster strikes, you may also want to put together a basic emergency preparedness kit for your car. This should contain the following items:
- non-perishable food such as energy bars
- water
- blanket
- extra clothing and shoes
- candle in a deep can
- matches
- list of contact numbers
Other helpful items for your car include:
- shovel, scraper and snow brush
- sand, salt or cat litter and antifreeze
- tow rope, jumper cables, windshield washer fluid
- warning light or road flares and fire extinguisher
- First Aid kit with seatbelt cutter
- roadmaps, whistle and flashlight.
Prepare for Pets Too
Pets are usually considered a part of the family and, as such, need to be included in an emergency preparedness plan.
Remember that pets are not allowed in some public shelters or hotels. Plan to take your pets with you to a relative or friend's home, if possible, or identify a pet-friendly hotel in advance (veterinarians and animal shelters can often provide names of pet-friendly premises).
When you are putting together your emergency supplies, be sure to include food and water for your pet/s. You may also wish to obtain a pet rescue alert sticker (available through the internet, and from some pet supply stores) to put in your window in the event of an emergency where you are forced to evacuate without your pet/s. Write the number and type of pets, as well as your veterinarian's telephone number on the sticker. If you are evacuated with your pets (a far more likely scenario), and time permits, write 'evacuated' on the sticker.