Emergency Preparedness Week kicks off Sunday and encourages Canadians coast-to-coast to take steps to be ready in the event of a disaster.
As if on cue, communities across Ontario, Quebec and New Brunswick spent much of the last week contending with flooding. As if the yearly awareness campaign wasn’t enough, Mother Nature is reminding everyone that disaster can happen at anytime. At the very least, it should serve as a reminder that weather can be predictably unpredictable. Images of front lawns resembling waterways and residents rowing through main streets on canoes paint the picture of how important it can be to have a kit ready to go at a moment’s notice, one that may be a valuable resource over the course of three to four days.
Locally, Greater Napanee Emergency Services does a fantastic job of spreading that message. The local fire department was recently recognized nationally as having the best community engagement for a town with populations between 5,000 and 50,000 people. Each year they take the time to visit schools and retirement homes, as well as organizing frequent media campaigns to help push the importance of being prepared.
At the end of the day however, it’s up to residents to heed the warning. A few hours after a flood warning has been issued isn’t the time to rush to the store to stockpile supplies for an emergency kit. While flooding often comes with a bit of a warning, not every disaster does. It’s also not as easy as picking up milk, bread and a couple of band-aids, either. Experts recommend families take the time to tailor the kits to fit their needs, which includes prescription medications specific to family members’ medical conditions.
Being prepared for the worst ahead of time will not only help to keep one’s family safe, but it also allows emergency workers to concentrate on those who need help the most when disaster strikes. Having food, blankets and battery-powered light sources on hand means resources don’t have to be diverted away from those who aren’t as mobile and can’t gather a kit of their own in advance.
While most would agree having an emergency kit is a good idea, a recent poll suggests only 25 per cent of Canadians have actually taken the time to put one together.
Aside from ensuring our own safety, it’s common courtesy to the men and women who train year-round to keep our community safe from any and all potential scenarios. A few hours of prep time on a calm, spring day by those who are able can possibly avoid putting rescue workers at risk.
Something as simple as practicing an escape route in the event of a fire and setting up a family meeting place could prevent a firefighter rushing into a burning house searching for someone who already got out safely. Anything that can be done ahead of time to minimize the effects of a disaster after the fact is certainly worth it. Ideally, the emergency kits and training will never have to be implemented in a real life scenario. But on the chance that it does, it’s much better to have taken the time to do it before it was necessary.
-Adam Prudhomme