GETTING READY FOR AN EMERGENCY
Every Canadian household needs an emergency plan . It will help you and your family to know what to do in case of an emergency . It will take only 20 minutes to make your plan . Disasters often cause confusion and distress so it is important to take the time now to know the hazards and the risks to better prepare yourself and your family .
Emergency planning doesn ’ t have to be scary . Many families feel empowered after planning , knowing they can survive on their own . Remember to help children feel safe when talking about emergencies . Remind them that someone will be there to help in an emergency . Talk about people you can count on such as firefighters , police , teachers , neighbours and emergency workers .
A good first step is to put a list of emergency numbers by each telephone in your home . Tell your children what each number is for . You should also list the work and cell phone number for each person in your family or in your home .
Your household plan
Know your emergency exits . Draw up a floor plan of your home that shows all possible exits from each room , particularly the second floor . Plan a main exit route and an alternate exit route from each room . If you live in an apartment , plan to use the stairs instead of the elevators . If you are unable to use the stairs , notify emergency personnel ahead of time . Also , identify all evacuation routes from your neighbourhood in case you need to leave in a hurry and one is blocked .
Pick meeting places . Identify safe places where everyone should meet if you cannot go home or you need to evacuate .
What is a safe meeting place near your home ? What is a safe meeting place outside your immediate neighbourhood ?
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What are two evacuation routes from your neighbourhood ? Is there a friend outside your town that could act as a liaison ?
Everyone in your home should know where to find the fire extinguisher . All adults and older children should know how to use it . See instructions regarding the lifetime of your fire extinguisher and check with your local fire department for more information .
Older children and adults should know how to turn off your home ’ s water , electricity and gas . Make large , easy-to-see signs for water and gas shut-offs as well as for the breaker panel or fuse box . Teach children how and when to dial 9-1-1 as well as how to call the designated out-of-town contact .
Workplace emergencies
Learn about the emergency evacuation plans in the workplace and your role in the event of an emergency . You may want to have some basic supplies at work such as water and food that won ’ t spoil . You are encouraged to have this dialogue with your employer and colleagues on a ongoing basis .
Plan for your children
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Ask your children ’ s school or daycare about their emergency policies . Find out how they will contact families during an emergency . Find out what type of authorization the school or daycare requires to release your children to a designated person if you can ’ t pick them up . Make sure the school or daycare has updated contact information for parents , caregivers and designated persons .