Be prepared to deal with emergency situations in Saskatchewan

The Saskatchewan government wants people to “be emergency ready” in case of a flood, wildfire, severe weather or other significant emergency.

Officials said knowing the risks and being prepared are two steps in being emergency ready.

“Each one of us plays an important role in planning and responding to an emergency,” Duane McKay, the province’s commissioner of emergency and fire management safety, said in a statement.

He said everyone should have an emergency kit ready at all times.

“Your emergency kit can be stored in an easy-to-carry bag or in a case with wheels in case you need to leave your home,” McKay said.

Items in a kit should include:

• bottled water;
• non-perishable foods and a manual can opener;
• a flashlight, radio and batteries;
• first-aid kit;
• cash;
• prescriptions, medications and medical documents; and
• important documents, such as personal identification, photographs of your family members; and up-to-date contact information.

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Along with the kit, people should have an emergency plan in place. A complete list is at the bottom of this story.

Officials are also urging people to download the SaskAlert app to know when there is an emergent situation in their community or region.

“The program notifies residents of emergencies in their area in real time so they can take action to protect themselves, their families and their property,” Government Relations Minister Warren Kaeding said in a statement.

Testing of the emergency alert system in Saskatchewan will take place on May 9 as part of Emergency Preparedness Week.

All platforms will be part of the test at 1:55 p.m. CT – radio, television, SaskAlert, text messages and mobile devices.

WATCH BELOW: New emergency alert text system coming to Canada

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An alert tone will go off on compatible mobile devices with a wireless message stating it is only a test.

If a smartphone is turned off or on silent mode, a banner will be displayed and the phone may vibrate.

The mobile alert system is mandatory under federal law and there is no opt-out option.