Emergency preparedness has been on the forefront of many people's minds since a raging wildfire in Fort McMurray forced the entire city to evacuate on May 3.
Ironically, Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada was actually the same week of the evacuation, from May 1 to 7.
“Based on what we saw over the last couple of weeks is disasters happen over time anywhere, any place and they may not give you much time to be prepared,” Shawn Feely, Canadian Red Cross vice-president for Manitoba and Nunavut, told the Gazette last week.
The fire has reportedly consumed 355,000 hectares of land and 2,400 structures. Thousands of firefighters from across the province and country have been deployed to Fort McMurray to help battle the blaze.
Many Fort McMurray residents were at work at the time of the evacuation and didn't have time to return home to grab any essentials. And the people that were able to go home didn't have much time to gather their belongings.
Feely said people should have food and water and other items to get them through at least 72 hours.
“First of all, know the risks. What are the risks around your home, around your community, and then have some sort of plan to address those risks,” he said, adding the kit should include things like a can opener, flashlight and windup radio.
“The other thing that people really forget about is having a small amount of cash, usually in small bills, because if the electricity goes out, bank machines and things like that aren't working, or tills aren't working to take credit cards or debit cards, so having cash is very important,” he added.
“And also special needs like medications, hygiene items, that sort of thing.”
He said it would also be wise for people to keep an emergency kit inside their vehicle in case they are evacuated while away from home.
“Also having I.D. is very important, so making copies of I.D., maybe putting it in that kit is a good idea,” he said.
Many people had to abandon their vehicles when trying to flee the flaming city because they ran out of gas.
Carstairs fire Chief Jordan Schaffer said this should serve as a reminder for people to always keep their fuel tanks above half full.
He said emergency preparedness kits should also include things like candles, batteries and protein bars.
Provincial officials say things like trail mix, crackers, cereal and canned goods are also good to include, as well as clothing, a jacket, spare shoes, sleeping bags and blankets.
Lighters, waterproof matches, dishes, pens, paper, rope, duct tape, whistles, toiletries, hand sanitizer, pet food and supplies, garbage bags, reading material, small toys and games, as well as a first aid kit are also recommended.
The kit should be updated every six months and kept in an easily accessible place.
It should also include legal documents like birth certificates, marriage certificates, wills, passports, contracts and insurance policies.
For more information, visit www.aema.alberta.ca.
"First of all, know the risks. What are the risks around your home, around your community, and then have some sort of plan to address those risks."Shawn Feely,Canadian Red Cross
