This week is Emergency Preparedness Week! This year’s theme is “Be Prepared. Know your Risks”. The intent of the theme is to encourage us all to understand the risks in our area and learn what actions we can take to protect ourselves, our families, and our community.

Emergency Preparedness at Home

By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. It is important to:

• Know the risks – Although the consequences of disasters can be similar, knowing the risks specific to our community and our region can help you better prepare. Find out about risks in our region by using some of the following resources:
  • Hazards monitored by Emergency Management Ontario: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/rgnl/on-en.aspx
  • Forest fire activity and fire restrictions: https://www.ontario.ca/page/forest-fires
  • Weather alerts via Environment Canada: https://weather.gc.ca/index_e.html
• Make a plan – It will help you and your family know what to do
• Get an emergency kit – During an emergency, we will all need some basic supplies. We may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency.

Visit https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/, https://www.ontario.ca/page/emergency-preparedness, and the City of Thunder Bay’s Emergency Planning page for resources to help you and your family prepare for all types of emergencies, including emergency plan templates and emergency kit content recommendations.

We all have a role to play in an emergency. Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way to reducing vulnerability and increasing disaster resilience. I encourage you to take concrete actions throughout the year to be more prepared.

If you have questions, please reach out to your manager or Mēsha Richard, Lead, Emergency Preparedness (ext. 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net)