Emergency Preparedness

• Learn what to do in an emergency by checking out hazards that could impact your neighbourhood or community. 
• Read your Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), to learn more about the plan that are currently in place for your specific community. 
• Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Get notified when there are emergencies near you by downloading the Alertable app, or by subscribing other emergency alerts. 

Make a plan

• Before you make you plan, remember to read the Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) created specifically for your community. This will tell you important information about hazards, evacuation routes and where to find reliable information.
• Make a household emergency plan. Discuss with all family and household members what you will do in the event of an emergency. Find full details on what to include in your emergency plan here. 
• Check your insurance:
  • Coverage is available for most major disasters including fire, lightning strikes, windstorms, hail, tornadoes, and others
  • Make sure your policy includes sewer back-up insurance
  • Keep a detailed paper and/or video inventory of your home or business and keep it in your emergency kit
  • Keep all your important documents in a safe location that is easily available
  • Know what your insurance company requires, should you need to make a claim
  • Be aware that government disaster recovery programs will not compensate for damage and loss for which insurance was readily and reasonably available before the disaster occurred
• Audit your home:
  • Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
  • Make sure no flammable materials are kept near electrical equipment or your furnace
  • Check for frayed electrical cords or overloaded circuits
  • Identify all potential exits
  • Learn how to turn off your water and electricity safely
  • Locate safe rooms in your home

Know your route

Each neighbourhood and community have a primary and secondary evacuation route. You can find the routes for your community in your Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP).

Have a kit

Always have an emergency kit or "go bag" ready with supplies to support you and your family for up to 72 hours. 

Basic Items:

• Water – two litres of water per person per day (include small bottles)
• Food – canned, package or non-perishable food for each member of the family (include a manual can opener)
• Wind up or battery-powered flashlight (and extra batteries)
• Wind up or battery-powered radio (and extra batteries)
• First aid kit
• Extra keys for your car and house
• Cash, travelers' cheques and change
• Important family documents

Additional Items: 

• Two additional litres of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning
• Candles and matches or lighter (place in a sturdy container)
• Change of clothing and footwear for each household member
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each household member
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items
• Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and garbage bags
• Prepaid phone card and/or mobile phone charger
• Pet food and supplies
• Infant formula, baby food and supplies
• Activities for children like books, puzzles or toys
• Prescription medication and medical equipment
• Utensils, plates and cups
• Household chlorine bleach or water purifying tablets
• Basic tools (hammer, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, work gloves, and pocketknife)
• Small fuel-operated stove and fuel
• Whistle
• Duct tape

Have a Vehicle Kit

• Sleeping bags or blankets
• Small shovel, scraper, and snowbrush
• Roadmaps
• Sand, salt, or non-clumping kitty litter
• Tow rope
• Anti-freeze/windshield washer fluid
• Jumper cables
• Warning light or road flares
• Traction mat
• Compass
• Roll of paper towels
• Axe or hatchet
• Methyl hydrate (for fuel line and windshield de-icing)
• All-purpose fire extinguisher (rated A-B-C)

Shelter-in-Place Items

During some emergency event, you may be asked to shelter-in-place. This means to stay inside of your home until authorities say it is safe to leave again. In this case, there are some additional items you might want to have on hand:

• Plastic sheeting (to seal windows, vents, and doors)
• Duct tape
• Towels (to block the bottom of the doors)
• Garbage bags
• An alternative heat source and an adequate supply of fuel (make sure there is adequate ventilation)

Find reliable information 

• Tune into the RMWB website, Twitter or Facebook
• Sign up for emergency alerts today 
• Listen to the local news media
• Arrange with neighbours to notify one another of an emergency alert

• Maintain a list of the family's required medications, prescribed dosages, and the names and telephone numbers of family doctors
• If you use a pacemaker or other medical equipment, keep the make and model, serial number and other important information with you
• Keep irreplaceable items like family photo albums where they can be quickly accessed if you must leave in a hurry
• Keep important family papers in a portable, fireproof and waterproof container (passports, birth certificates, insurance documents, etc.,)
• Discuss what to do if you and your family members are at different locations when a disaster happens
• Be familiar with the emergency plans in your workplace and your child's school or daycare
• Leave backup care arrangements with the school or daycare in case you can't get there right away in an emergency
• Plan for how your family will stay in contact if separated by a disaster or emergency
• Pick two meeting places, one near your home and one outside your neighbourhood
• Meet with your neighbours and plan how you could work together
• Create a list of contact information for close family, friends, and caregivers
• Identify an out-of-town contact person
• Conduct safety drills
• Write down and exercise your plan at least once a year (make sure everyone has it)