SASKATOON – Watching the wildfire situation unfold in Fort McMurray, many are left wondering how prepared they are for an emergency evacuation. Taking time to prepare your family for an emergency situation now could save you much needed time in the event of an evacuation.
READ MORE: Canadian Red Cross launches new emergency preparedness app
The Canadian Red Cross recommends you have a disaster preparedness kit in your home that could sustain you and your family for 72-hours. You should have the following items in a sturdy, ready-to-grab bag:
- Water
- Food (non-perishable)
- Manual can opener
- Crank or battery-operated flashlight, with extra batteries
- Battery-operated or crank radio
- Extra keys, for your house and car
- First aid kit
- Cash in small bills
- Special needs items (i.e. medications, infant formula)
- Personal hygiene items
- Important family documents (i.e. copies of birth and marriage certificates, passports, licenses, wills, land deeds and insurance)
- A copy of your emergency plan
It’s also recommended you and your family develop an emergency plan, and practice it regularly. In the event your family is not together when disaster strikes, you should have a plan to contact each other and where you’re going to meet in the event of an emergency. If you have pets, this plan should include them as well.
READ MORE: Are you ready for an emergency? 5 tips to get you prepared
Do you already have a disaster preparedness kit? How prepared are you for an emergency situation?
Be sure to comment with your thoughts and watch Global Saskatoon Morning News at 7:55 a.m. CT to see if we pull up your comment.
With files from Caley Ramsay
- Life in the forest: How Stanley Park’s longest resident survived a changing landscape
- Bird flu risk to humans an ‘enormous concern,’ WHO says. Here’s what to know
- Roll Up To Win? Tim Hortons says $55K boat win email was ‘human error’
- Ontario premier calls cost of gas ‘absolutely disgusting,’ raises price-gouging concerns
Comments