Saanich, BC – This year’s theme for Emergency Preparedness Week, which runs from May 5 to 11, is Be Emergency Ready. The Saanich Emergency Program emphasizes the importance of readiness for emergencies, and is sharing some tips on how to fit preparedness activities into busy schedules.

“While emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility among all levels of governments, the foundation of preparedness and community resilience starts with individuals and families,” said Deputy Fire Chief Frank Macdonald. “We want to remind people that they are the expert on their family’s preparedness. Every household is unique and having a plan to meet their needs in an emergency is very important. The message to our community is that people should be prepared to be self-sufficient for a minimum of seven days, and individual families should know exactly what their needs are to support themselves for this period of time.” 

Tips:

Life is busy and making time to ensure you’re prepared for an emergency can sometimes fall to the bottom of the list. The Saanich Emergency Program is making it easy to start by offering a few simple tips to get you started:

• Set yourself up for preparedness success. Before you purchase items for a kit, move what you already have to a bin that is easy to access and make it part of your household routine. This ensures you cycle through items and remain familiar with the contents.
• During grocery shops, purchase an extra can of an item that is part of your family’s regular meal routine and build toward a minimum of seven days of preparedness. Store foods familiar to your family so you are not introducing new foods at what could be a stressful time.
• Often our first help in an emergency comes from neighbours. Take time to get to know them before you need them. It doesn't cost you anything to knock on their door and introduce yourself. 

Learn more:

To ensure the message reaches as many households as possible, the Saanich Emergency Program has many activities happening during Emergency Preparedness Week:

• The fourth and final week of emergency preparedness programs delivered to more than 1,100 grade four students in 23 elementary schools will wrap up.
• 26 Weeks to Preparedness Twitter campaign will kick off. Each week we share a simple preparedness tip and by week 26, which coincides with The Great BC ShakeOut, your household will be prepared for a minimum of seven days.
• On May 6, Saanich’s emergency notification web page will be showcased on Saanich.ca. The website, along with social media, are main communication channels for the District of Saanich during an emergency.
• On May 21 at 6:30 p.m., there is an Individual and Family Emergency Preparedness presentation at Saanich Commonwealth Place. Call 250-475-7600 to register.
• Seven-day Twitter #getyourkittogether video campaign will kick off. Retweet for a chance to win a grab-and-go bag.

 

Find more information about the Saanich Emergency Program at saanich.ca or on Twitter @SaanichEP and @SaanichFire.

 

Media contact:

Frank Macdonald, Deputy Fire Chief
Saanich Fire Department
250-475-5503
fireadmin@saanich.ca