Media release

For immediate release

Emergency Preparedness Week: are you ready?

Saanich, BC – This year, Emergency Preparedness Week runs from May 2 to 8. The continuing challenges of COVID-19 serve as an excellent reminder that major emergencies do occur and impact us all.

“Having a plan to meet your household’s needs in an emergency is important and is often easier than we think,” 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 community resilience starts with individuals and families.”

Saanich recommends being prepared to be self-sufficient for a minimum of seven days. Individual families should know exactly what their needs are to support themselves for this period of time.

Tips:

The Saanich Emergency Program is making it easy to prepare by offering a few simple tips to get you started:

• Starting your kit is easy: you already have most of the items you need for an emergency kit. Centralize the items you already have in a bin and access it regularly so that it’s familiar and up to date. Where’s the flashlight? In the emergency kit!

• Shop smart: on 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. Building your kit in advance may reduce the strain on our supply chain from panic buying.

• You’re the expert: remember you are the expert on your household’s preparedness. Seven days of preparedness depends entirely on who lives in your home and those unique needs. What are yours?

Learn more:

The Saanich Emergency Program invites you to participate in the following virtual activities during Emergency Preparedness Week:

• ·Participate in the Saanich EP Week Scavenger Hunt! Visit us on Facebook @Saanich.BC and Twitter @SaanichEP for a chance to win a $250 pizza party for your household.
• Get Prepared! Visit our website at www.saanich.ca/prepare for helpful preparedness tips.  Read our page on practical preparedness and download the Regional Guide to Emergency Preparedness.

• Visit our YouTube channel and watch our videos on breaking down barriers to preparedness and how to make your very own dry toilet!

• 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.

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

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Media contact:

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