Emergency Preparedness Week urges residents to create plans and kits

Emergency preparedness is something many Albertans and Canadians still take for granted.

However, national Emergency Prepareness week from May 6-12 may just be the perfect opportunity to start making a plan and building a kit.

This year’s theme is ‘Be Emergency Ready.’

Recommendations for residents include knowing the local risks and understanding the municipality’s emergency procedures, making a plan for your family, including who they’ll contact and where they’ll go if disaster strikes, as well as building a 72-hour kit.

Karen Mann, Emergency Management Coordinator with The City of Red Deer, says more people are starting to pick up on just how important it is to be prepared.

Chad Krahn

Unofficial 2024 By-Election Results

8h ago

Alberta Community Crime Prevention Association

Lacombe farmer speaks at provincial conference about increasing rural crime and mental health strains

14h ago

April 23-May 2, 2024

Red Deer Public Schools set to launch Open House series

14h ago

“We did hear a lot from our residents after the windstorm last spring, that they were interested in emergency prepraredness and that they were taking their learnings from the windstorm and using them as a catalyst to finally work on their emergency plans and kits,” Mann says. “We know so many people have great intentions, they want to do them and know it’s important, but they just never get around to them.”

Mann adds that after the 112 km/h windstorm last June, The City did seek ways to improve its communication between departments and with residents, and also learned about the resilience and vulnerabilities of citizens.

In addition to The City’s Notify Red Deer system, Albertans can also download the Alberta Emergency Alert app to their smartphones. Also, all Canadians will receive a test emergency alert notification on their mobile device this May 9 as part of the new Alert Ready system.

May 6-12 is also North American Occupational Safety and Health (NAOSH) week. A mock car crash will be happening at noon on Monday at Iron Ridge Intermediate school in Blackfalds.