The forest fires in Fort McMurray serve as a sombre reminder that things can change in the blink of an eye. Environment Minister Shannon Phillips, and organizers from the Canadian Red Cross met in Lethbridge Friday for Emergency Preparedness Week, and spoke about how Southern Albertans can prepare for a natural disasters.
“One of the biggest thing that people can do to help, in response to Fort McMurray, and any disaster, is ensure your own family is prepared,” Phillips said.
The government of Alberta, and the Canadian Red Cross joined together to continue to educate Albertans on how to best protect themselves and their families.
“We have to ensure that we have a plan for our family,” Shirley Diaz of the Canadian Red Cross said. “We have to put together a kit that is easily accessible and take with us on a moment’s notice.”
The Canadian Red Cross sells disaster-preparedness kits with 85 essential and also encourages families to tailor them to their own unique needs.
“People will need to personalize it for their family, age of their kids, if they have pets,” Diaz said.
If you are putting together your own emergency kit, the Red Cross suggests you incorporate some essential items including:
- Water
- Flashlight
- First aid kit
- Prescription medication
- Duct tape
Tinder dry conditions, and unseasonably warm weather have prompted a province-wide fire ban, and Phillips says proactive measures during a time like this can be the best tool in your emergency kit.
“When disaster comes our first-responder resources can be applied in the best way possible, and that we’re not diverting necessary resources to things that were preventable.” Phillips said.
With extensive manpower battling flames in Northern Alberta, the government encourages all Albertans to not only be prepared and responsible.
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