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About Emergency Preparedness Week

Take action so that you, your family, and your community are prepared for emergencies.

Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) is a national event supported by Public Safety Canada, working closely with provincial and territorial emergency management organizations, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector who support activities at the local level. An annual event for over 25 years, it traditionally takes place during the first full week of May.

Everyone has a role to play in an emergency. Emergency Preparedness Week is an opportunity for you to take action to ensure you are prepared to protect yourself, your family and your community during an emergency. This year, the theme is Emergency Preparedness: Be Ready for Anything. The intent of this theme is to encourage Canadians to take action to become better prepared for the range of emergencies they could face in their region.

This national event is coordinated by Public Safety Canada, in close collaboration with the provinces and territories and partners.

Resources

For more information, please contact [email protected] or call 1-800-830-3118.

This national event is coordinated by Public Safety Canada, in close collaboration with the provinces and territories and partners.

Basic Survival Kit

When preparing for a disaster, it is important to have a basic survival kit in place to ensure that you and your family will be able to sustain yourselves for an extended period of time. Here are some items to include in your emergency survival kit:

Basic Equipment
Store these items in a portable container and keep it accessible.

Small, fuel-dirven stove and fuel (follow the manufacturer’s directions and store properly).
Waterproof matches, plastic garbage bags, duct tape, and paper towels
Disposable plates and glasses, knives, forks, spoons, manual can-opener and bottle opener

Food and Water
Keep enough water and non-perishable food to meet your needs for at least 3 days. Check the food and replace the water every year.

At least four litres of bottled water per person, per day
Canned food: soups, stews, beans, pastas, meat, poultry, fish, fruits, and vegetables
Energy bars and dried foods
Honey, peanut butter, nuts, syrup, jams, salt and pepper, sugar, instant coffee and tea

Survival Items

Flashlight and spare batteries
Crank or battery-operated radio (portable stereo and headphones)
Candles and matches or lighter
Whistle (in case you need to attract attention)
Toiletries, spare eyeglasses and other personal items
First aid kit, prescription drugs
Extra set of keys and money (including small change for pay telephones)
Copies of your important documents (identification, personal papers, etc.)
Winter clothing, boots and blankets or sleeping bags

REMEMBER

When preparing your emergency survival kit, keep in mind that all family members could have their own kit and another bag could be devoted to equipment, food and extra bottles of water for the whole family.

Keep special needs in mind. For instance, if you have a baby, don’t forget to include supplies like diapers, powdered milk, a bottle and a pacifier in your emergency kit. Think about the needs of older or handicapped people in your family. If you have pets, put aside a small bag of food for them.

Make copies of all your prescriptions and keep a minimum one-week supply of medications in your emergency kit!

Family Survival Supply Kit

Water

Store water in plastic containers such as clean, soft drink bottles or purchase sealed bottled water in bulk
Store at least four litres of water per person per day (two litres for drinking, two litres for food preparation/sanitation)
Keep at least a three-day supply of water for each person in your household
Store water purification tablets or chlorine bleach and an eyedropper to disinfect water

Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
If you must heat food, pack a can of commercial heating/cooking fuel or a portable camp cook stove – do not use a barbecue indoors
Rotate your stored food items every six months

Tools and Supplies

Mess kits or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
Flashlight and extra batteries
Cash or travelers’ cheques, credit cards, change
Non-electrical can opener, utility knife
Fire extinguisher (small canister, ABC type)
Shut-off wrench to turn off household gas and water
Tube tent
Duct tape
Pliers
Compass
Matches in a waterproof container
Aluminum foil
Plastic storage containers
Signal flare
Paper, pencil
Needles, thread

Non-prescription Drugs

Pain relievers (ie: acetaminophen)
Anti-diarrhea medication
Sun screen (SPF 15 or higher)
Antacid (for stomach upset)
Laxative

First Aid Kit should include

First Aid manual
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
2 inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
4 inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)
Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
Triangular bandages (3)
2 inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
3 inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
Scissors
Tweezers
Moistened towelettes
Antiseptic or antiseptic towelettes
Thermometer
Tongue depressor (2)
Assorted sizes of safety pins
Cleansing agent/soap
Latex gloves (2 pairs)

Clothing and Bedding

Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.

Sturdy shoes or work boots
Rain gear
Blankets or sleeping bags
Hat and gloves, scarves
Thermal underwear
Sweaters

Special Items:
Remember family members with special needs, such as infants and elderly or persons with disabilities

Information taken from the Public Safety Canada website www.getprepared.gc.ca/index_e.asp

Emergency Survival Kit

In the event of an emergency, everyone should be prepared to take care of themselves and their families for up to three days. Make sure that your emergency survival kit has

Flashlight and batteries
Radio and batteries or crank radio
Spare batteries
First-aid kit
Candles and matches/lighter
Extra car keys and cash
Important papers (identification)
Food and bottled water
Clothing and footwear
Blankets or sleeping bags
Toilet paper and other personal items
Medication
Whistle (to attract attention, if needed)
Playing cards, games

BE PREPARED! NOT SCARED!

For more information please visit Emergency Management Ontario at www.ontario.ca/emo

First Aid Kit

A variety of first aid kits are available for purchase from your local department store, but you can choose to make your own kit. You will need to include:

Latex gloves (2 pairs)
Scissors
Tweezers
Safety pins
Thermometer
Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
5-centimetre sterile gauze pads (4-6)
10-centimetre sterile gauze pads (4-6)
Triangular bandages (3)
5-centimetre sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
10-centimetre sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
Cleansing agent and soap
Moistened towelettes
Antiseptic
Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant
Tube of antifungal or antibiotic ointment
Sunscreen
Non-prescription medication: aspirin or other pain reliever, anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrhea medication, antacid and laxative
Prescription medication
First aid manual

Assemble one first aid kit for your home and one for your vehicle. Check and replenish your kit at least once a year.

Information taken from the Public Safety Canada website www.getprepared.gc.ca/index_e.asp

Outdoor Survival Kit

When going on outdoor excursions, whether it be summer or winter, take along a basic outdoor survival kit in case of emergency. You should be sure to have:

Matches (in a waterproof container)
Orange plastic garbage bags (to keep you warm and dry)
High-energy snacks (granola bars or trail mix)
Whistle
Pocket knife
Compass (know how to use it!)
Lightweight survival blanket
Reflector or hand mirror (for signalling)
Insect repellent
Antibiotic ointment
Plastic bandages

Be sure to replenish your kit at least once a year!

Information taken from the Public Safety Canada Website www.getprepared.gc.ca/index_e.asp

Vehicle Survival Kit

Every driver should carry a survival kit in his or her vehicle. Here are some important items to consider:

Booster cables. The thicker the better. Look for four or six-gauge cables.
Vehicle fluids. These include windshield washer fluid, gas-line antifreeze, motor oil, transmission oil, power steering fuel, brake fluid, anti-freeze, and rags for wiping
dipsticks so fluid levels can be checked properly.
An approved container able to hold up to four litres of gasoline.
Emergency flares. If you ever have to use them, remember to place them at least 15 metres away from your car to give other drivers adequate warning of the problem.
Sand, salt or kitty litter during winter. This comes in handy when stuck and wheels are spinning on ice.
Emergency food and water pack.
Shovel and axe or hatchet.
A mini air compressor to help inflate a flat tire and/or puncture seal gels.
A tire gauge for measuring the air pressure in your tires.
Spare fuses. Carry an assortment that includes at least one of 7.5, 10, 15, 20, 35 and 30 amp fuses.
A flashlight and spare batteries.
Tool kit, including a good quality screwdriver set with a flat head, Phillips head, Robertson head, and Torx head, pliers, small hammer, utility knife, ratchet socket set, a four-way wrench, Vice-Grip pliers, seatbelt cutter, rolls of electrical and duct tape.
First aid kit
A blanket (the special “survival” blankets are best)
An emergency candle and camping matches
Road maps
Ice scraper and brush
Fire extinguisher (ABC type)
Tow rope
Whistle