Windsor Essex County Health Unit
Are you ready for an emergency?
Do you know how to prepare for a
blizzard, ice storm, flood or power outage?
Natural and man-made disasters can strike
at any time with little warning. You should
know the risks in all possible situations and
make a plan. Your family may not be
together when a crisis occurs. It’s important
to have a plan to deal with the emergencies
common to our area. Know how to stay in
touch with your family members and
choose a meeting place so everyone
understands where they should be.
The next step is to prepare a 72-hour
emergency kit for both home and car and
have a backpack for each person in your
family that contains:
• Two litres of water per person, per day
• Non-perishable food (e.g., canned
food, energy bars and dried foods)
• Cash
• A manual can opener
• A first-aid kit
• Hand sanitizer
• A flashlight (crank or battery
powered)
• A copy of emergency contact
information
Everyone in the family should have
blankets or a sleeping bag, and all adults
should also include:
• Extra keys to the house and car
• Basic tools (e.g., hammer, screwdriver,
work gloves and pliers)
• Candles and a lighter or matches
(candles should have a sturdy base and never leave them unattended
when lit)
During the 2003 Blackout,
some local homes were
without power for more
than 24 hours
In 2012, 2.2 million
customers in 15 states
were still without power
five days after Superstorm
Sandy first hit
In November 2014,
record-breaking snowfall
in Buffalo NY left
thousands without power
and/or trapped in their
homes
• Prescription medications and medical
supplies or equipment
• Pet food and supplies
• Any other items your family might
need like diapers and comfort items
The backpacks should be easy to grab
and everyone needs to know where the
backpacks are. Don’t stock the kits all at
once. Buy a few items every time you go
shopping and check and refresh your kit
twice a year. A good time to refresh is when
the clocks move to and from daylight
savings time.
Make sure your car is always full of gas,
and in an emergency, don’t forget to check
on neighbours, the elderly and family
members.
Food and water safety is also important
in an emergency. During a power outage, the
water supplied to your home by your local
water utility may no longer be safe to drink
without added treatment. The water isn’t
safe to drink if the Windsor-Essex County
Health Unit and the local utility issue a
boil-water advisory through the media. The
water must be tre