Be Prepared
Before an emergency strikes, take steps to prepare you and your family. There are many things that you can do to ensure that your family will be able to survive any type of disaster.
- Take a First Aid/CPR course (contact the Red Cross or St. John Ambulance for course information).
- Prepare an Emergency Survival Kit and keep it well stocked. Ensure that it contains necessities for your pets and for seniors who live with you.
- Know the emergency contact phone numbers and keep them handy.
- Practice your emergency plan often and ensure that your children are familiar with it.
- Prepare yourself for different types of emergency situations so you'll know what to do whatever the disaster.
When a disaster strikes do not assume that emergency services will not be available, but recognize that demands on them may be so great that calls may not be responded to immediately. In rural communities with great distances between centers, it is critical that we are able to fend for ourselves and help our neighbours in times of emergencies.
The following are a few tips that can help you and your family and friends get through such an emergency.