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Home Programs Emergency management Emergency preparedness Guides Preparing for emergencies General preparedness General preparednessTaking steps ahead of time can help you cope better if a disaster strikes. Prepare with your family and household, and keep emergency supplies on-hand. This can help you avoid injury, help other people and minimize damage to your property. Even though some problems cannot be prevented, you can reduce the damage by taking simple precautions, such as knowing the types of events common to your area and what time of year they are likely to strike. These general preparedness tips can help you survive at least 72 hours in your home or workplace without help from emergency response officials.
Next steps Where to start Identify the risks You can find out about the most common risks in your region by consulting the Canadian Disaster Database and the Natural Hazards of Canada map. Consider natural disasters such as earthquakes as well as technological failures such as power outages and deliberate acts like terrorism. You may find it helpful to prepare a list of the risks you are most likely to face and think about how they might affect your family. Make your own plan Emergencies often strike too quickly to allow you to choose a shelter or pack an emergency kit, so prepare a list of what to do at home, school or work if a disaster strikes. Divide up tasks so that every member of your household participates as much as possible. Write down the details and make sure everybody has a copy. You will find the following emergency preparedness guide useful in making your plan and preparing an emergency kit. Know the safe places to beDecide where to take shelter in your home during different situations such as hurricanes or earthquakes. Practise taking cover in the safe places at least once a year. Repeating this kind of safety drill -- practising exactly where to go and what to do -- is important for everyone but especially for children so they know what to expect and don’t forget the instructions over time. Repeat safety drills -- practise exactly where to go and what to do -- especially with children. Agree on an alternate meeting place and shelterMake sure each family member knows what to do at home, at school, at work if family members become separated or if it is impossible to get home. Decide where you will meet if you are separated during a disaster and choose a place, such as a friend’s house or hotel, where you can stay for a few days in case you are evacuated. When choosing your shelter, remember that bridges may be out and roads may be blocked. Don’t forget to plan for your pets -- they may not be permitted in emergency shelters so find a “pet-friendly” hotel or friend’s home. Select an out-of-the-area contactPick someone each member of the family can call or e-mail in case of an emergency. Be sure to choose someone who lives far enough away that they won’t be affected by the same situation. This contact, ideally a relative or close family friend, should agree to pass news on to other family members if you get separated and call the contact from different places. Each member of the household should memorize this contact’s phone number and address and keep the information with them at all times. If you live alone, develop an emergency plan for yourself with links to friends and neighbours. Learn about other emergency plans SchoolsLearn about the emergency plans of your children's school or day-care centre -- for example, you will need to know whether your children will be kept at school until you or a designated adult can pick them up or if they will be sent home on their own. Be sure that the school has up-to-date contact information for you. Keep in mind that the school’s telephones may be overwhelmed with calls during an emergency. Find out ahead of time what type of authorization the school requires to release a child to someone else should you not be able to pick up your child yourself. Your communityLearn about your community’s emergency plans and authorities. Find out who you might need to call and what you might be asked to do in an emergency. You can contact local community offices to learn about their emergency plans. Find out where emergency shelters are located and whether there are designated emergency routes. Identify the closest emergency services offices (e.g. fire, police, ambulance, public works such as gas and electrical utilities) and record their telephone numbers in a list near the telephone. You can find these numbers near the front of most telephone books. High-rise buildingsIf you live in an apartment building or residence, it should have its own emergency plan. At the officeYour workplace may also have an emergency plan. Determine what your role is in the plan, what to do if an alarm sounds and how to evacuate the building safely. Preparing your home Go through your home with other household members and imagine what could happen to each part of it during a violent earthquake, hurricane or other disaster scenario. Teach everybody in the household how to turn off the water, electricity and gas. Clearly label the on-off positions for these utilities. If your home is equipped with natural gas, tie or tape the appropriate wrench on the pipe to turn off the gas. Discuss insurance coverage with your broker. Make sure that you have the right kind of insurance for the range of risks that may occur in your area. (See the Natural Hazards of Canada map and the Canadian Disaster Database.) Make an inventory of the valuable things you own and keep a video or photographs of them for insurance purposes. Ensure that these and other important documents are stored safely in a waterproof area or box. Always keep a class ABC fire extinguisher handy and make sure each member of your family knows how to use it. If you cannot extinguish a small fire with a portable fire extinguisher, or if the smoke becomes hazardous, leave the area. Close the door to contain the fire. Warn others of the danger, call 9-1-1 and wait outside for the firefighters to arrive. When you travel When you go to a hotel, try to get into the habit of always keeping your footwear near the bed and clothing close by in case you have to leave in a hurry. Consider travelling with a battery-powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries. As soon as you arrive, identify the safest place in your hotel room to take shelter (such as under a table) as well as the locations of the emergency exits. Remember to read all safety materials provided by the hotel. Emergency kits You could be anywhere when a disaster strikes but it is likely that you will be at home, at work or in your car. Having supplies on hand can help you survive the emergency and, if necessary, make you self-sufficient for three days or longer. Emergency kits should be portable so put supplies in easy-to-carry containers (such as a duffel bag or small plastic bin) ready to take with you. Store the kit in an easily accessible location such as a closet shelf on the main floor. You could also consider preparing a personalized kit in a backpack for each member of the family, ready to go in case you need to evacuate. It is a good idea to have additional emergency supplies in your tool shed or garage in case you have to evacuate your home and can’t go back inside. Household emergency kit Use the subsequent lists to assemble your emergency kit:
MedicalYour kit should contain a complete set of first aid supplies, including:
First aid training - Take a first aid course that includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). FoodHave at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food and water on hand. Remember to replace the unused canned and dry food in your kit every year. Choose compact, lightweight, ready-to-eat foods that your family likes and that don't need refrigeration, cooking or preparation. If food must be cooked, include a camp stove and fuel. Never use charcoal or gas barbeques, camping heating equipment or home generators indoors. Examples of non-perishable foods:
Remember to keep eating utensils, disposable cups and plates, a manual can-opener and a bottle opener with the food. If you have pets, don’t forget to store food for them. WaterStore at least four litres of water per person per day -- for drinking, food preparation, hygiene and dish washing. Store water in a cool dark place. If you store tap water, use plastic bottles that have been washed, disinfected and are easy to carry. Record the date that you bottled the water on the label. Replace stored tap water every six months.If you have pets, don’t forget to store approximately 30 millilitres of water per kilogram of the animal’s weight per day. For example an average cat or small dog would require at least 1/5 of a litre (or half a cup) of water per day. Keep a supply of water-purifying tablets and non-perfumed chlorine bleach in your emergency preparedness kit.
Shelter
ClothingIt’s a good idea to put aside one change of indoor and outdoor clothing and footwear per person. This could include:
Toiletries
Tools
Communications
WeatherThe Meteorological Service of Canada part of Environment Canada, monitors the weather 24 hours a day, seven days a week and issues watches, advisories and warnings through:
Check and replace batteries yearly to keep them fresh. Important documentsRemember to store important family documents and records in waterproof containers and make sure you know where they are. It is not a good idea to store them in the basement if there is a risk of flooding.
Copies of essential documents should also be kept in a safe location outside your home such as a safety deposit box or the home of a relative who lives out of town. Additional items
Vehicle emergency kit Keep supplies in a separate pack (such as a tote bag) in case you are “on the road” during an emergency. Make a pack for each vehicle in your household.
Remember to keep your gas tank at least half full all year round and nearly full in the winter. Gas pumps are likely to be unusable after a major disaster like an earthquake. Workplace emergency kit Keep the following items in a pack in your workplace in case you have to walk home or to safety:
Taking shelter If you are advised by local officials to "shelter-in-place", you must remain inside your home or office and protect yourself there. The following steps will help maximize your protection:
Evacuating safely If local authorities ask you to leave your home, they have a good reason to make this request and you should heed their advice immediately. Listen to your radio or television and follow the instructions of local emergency officials. Practise your home evacuation plan with family members at least once a year.
If you have time:
After any emergency These are general instructions that apply to many emergencies but not every situation is the same. Please also read the sections on specific disasters.
If tap water is available, fill a bathtub and other containers in case the supply gets cut off. If there is no running water, remember that you may have water available in a hot water tank, toilet reservoir or in ice cube trays.
Caring for the injured
These basic principles can be used in many situations. This information is no substitute, of course, for comprehensive first aid training or for proper medical care. Six basic first aid steps
The following are some additional steps to take when providing care for common injuries: Bleeding Cover the wound with a dressing and apply direct pressure. If you do not suspect a broken bone, elevate the injured area above the level of the heart. Cover the dressing with a roller bandage to hold it in place. If the bleeding does not stop and blood soaks through the bandage, apply additional dressings and bandages without removing any of the blood-soaked dressings. Provide care for shock. Encourage the person to lie down. Help the victim maintain normal body temperature. Burns Stop the burning by cooling the burn with large amounts of clean, cool water. Cover the burn with dry, clean, non-stick dressings or cloth. Do not break blisters. Injuries to muscles, bones and joints Rest the injured part. Avoid any movements that cause pain. Immobilize the injured part before moving the victim and giving additional care. Apply ice or a cold pack to control swelling and reduce pain. Elevate the injured area to help slow the flow of blood and reduce swelling. Exposure to chemical agents If it appears that chemical agents are involved, leave the emergency scene as quickly as possible and seek help. Local authorities are better equipped to address and contain this type of emergency. People who may have come into contact with a biological or chemical agent may need to go through a decontamination procedure before receiving medical attention. Listen to the advice of local officials on the radio or television to determine what steps you can take to protect yourself and your family. Since emergency services will likely be overwhelmed, only call 9-1-1 about life-threatening emergencies.
Reduce caregiver risks The chance of getting a disease while giving first aid is normally extremely low. To reduce the risk even further:
Emotional reactions in emergencies
Common effects of an emergency While every situation is different, the following are some things you might expect during a disaster. There may be a large number of casualties, the safety of buildings and houses may be compromised and rubble may block areas, making it dangerous or difficult to get out or walk around. Health services in hospitals and mental health resources may become strained, maybe even overwhelmed. Know they are doing their very best under extraordinary circumstances. Health care facilities have emergency plans and might access additional resources -- such as mobile hospitals -- or enlist the support of medical staff and facilities from neighbouring communities, provinces or the Government of Canada. Law enforcement from local, provincial and federal levels might be involved if the event was criminal in nature, such as a terrorist attack. Extensive media coverage, high public anxiety and the social impact of the emergency could all continue for a prolonged period. Workplaces and schools may be closed and there might be restrictions on local, domestic and international travel. You and your family or household may have to evacuate an area following routes specifically designated to ensure your safety. Clean-up and recovery operations could take many months. Expect emotional reactions People caught in a disaster often feel confused. You might not act like yourself for a while. You may tremble, feel numb, vomit or faint. Immediately after the disaster, people often feel bewildered, shocked and relieved to be alive. These feelings and reactions are perfectly normal. Many survivors sleep poorly, have no appetite, are angry with those around them or panic at the slightest hint of danger. Children might start thumb-sucking or bed-wetting. These feelings and reactions are perfectly normal too.
Getting back on track Talk about your feelings. Discuss what's happened. Encourage your children to express their feelings. They may want to do this by drawing or playing instead of talking. Understand that their feelings are real. Recognize that when you suffer a loss, you may grieve. (Yes, you can grieve the loss of a wedding photo or your grandfather's favourite ring.) You may feel apathetic or angry. You may not sleep or eat well. These are normal grief reactions. Give yourself and your family permission to grieve and time to heal. Helping children cope Children exposed to a disaster can experience a range of responses such as anxiety, fear, nervousness, stomach aches and loss of appetite. These are normal and temporary reactions to danger. Parents can help relieve their children’s anxiety by taking their fears seriously, reassuring them and giving them additional attention and affection. After a disaster, children are most afraid that the event will happen again, that someone will get hurt or injured, that they will be separated from the family or that they will be left alone. Comfort and reassure them. Tell them what you know about the situation. Be honest but gentle. Encourage them to talk about the disaster and to ask questions. Give them a real task to do -- something that helps get the family back on its feet. Keep them with you even if it seems easier to do things on your own. At a time like this, it's important for the whole family to stay together. Television coverage of terrorist incidents and other tragedies -- and people's reaction to those events -- can be very upsetting, especially to children. Talk to your children about what is happening and how you and governments are keeping them safe. We do not recommend permitting children to watch television reports that show images of the same incident over and over again. Young children often do not realize that it is repeated video footage and may think the event is happening again and again. Adults might also need to give themselves a break from watching disturbing footage. (Since listening to local radio and television reports will provide accurate information on what's happening and what actions you can take, try to take turns listening to the news with other adult members of your household.) See also: Helping Children Cope, Helping Teens Cope (Public Health Agency of Canada) |