Are you ready?
That’s the theme of emergency preparedness week in Hamilton.
The city wants to know if you’re ready for the type of emergencies that are becoming more common in Southern Ontario, such as lengthy power outages and flooding that result from extreme weather events.
In 2005, for example, a tornado hit the city, causing major damage to Lawfield Elementary School and a number of homes within subdivisions on the East Mountain.
“Who would have thought?” said Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe.
Cunliffe also points to significant flooding along the shoreline in Stoney Creek in 2017, due to record-high Lake Ontario water levels.
Even this week, with lake levels about a foot and a half higher than normal, sandbags are being placed along a partially-submerged section of the waterfront trail at Cootes Paradise.
Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Kirsten Marples says being prepared means knowing your risks and having a plan in the event of emergency.
That includes assembling a kit that would sustain you for for at least 72 hours and is “specific to the needs of your family.”
The message, Cunliffe adds, is “prepare for the worst and hope for the best.”
LISTEN: Hamilton Fire Chief Dave Cunliffe talks to Global News Radio’s Scott Thompson about Emergency Preparedness Week