Examples of items to include in an emergency kit. May 5-11, 2024 marks Emergency Preparedness Week. (Photo 24580739 © Sue Harper | Dreamstime.com)

By Justin Goulet

RCMP offers safety tips for Emergency Preparedness Week

May 5, 2024 | 7:00 AM

Albertans are encouraged to be ready for an emergency.

May 5 to 11, 2024 marks Emergency Preparedness Week across the country.

The theme for this year’s initiative is ‘Be Prepared. Know Your Risks’, with the intent being to encourage citizens to understand the risks in their local area and learn what actions they can take to protect themselves, their families and their properties.

The Alberta RCMP says because of the diverse geography of the province, there are multiple emergencies Albertans could face. These include infrastructure failures like power outages, train derailments and oil spills, or natural disasters like floods, wildfires, tornadoes and heat waves.

“The Alberta RCMP is committed to ensuring the safety of Albertans and their communities during any emergency situation, but it’s important that you do your part as well,” says Staff Sergeant Rodney Koscielny, officer in charge of the Operational Readiness and Response Unit says.

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“It’s essential that everyone is taking steps to keep themselves, their property, and each other safe.”

The RCMP is offering the following tips for the week:

• Prepare an emergency kit that is readily accessible in case of an evacuation. The kit should include water, food that won’t spoil, a manual can opener, wind up or battery-powered flashlight and radio, first aid kit, extra keys to cars and homes, cash, important family documents such as ID, insurance and bank records, and an emergency plan that includes contact information. It should also include any prescription medication, pet supplies, and baby food as needed.
• Create a household preparedness plan including emergency exists, evacuations routes, safe meeting spots, and important contact information. Make sure that all family members know your emergency plans, fully understand their responsibilities, and knows how to reach one another in case an emergency is declared, and you are not together.
• Always make sure that your home and property are secured, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your belongings.
• If you have a pets, ensure you have identified animal-friendly accommodations in case of evacuation, or pet boarding and care facilities.
• For farms, create a list of equipment, supplies, and tools needed to evacuate or transport livestock. Keep records of equipment, livestock, and supplies on your premises. As well, have a plan to identify livestock in case of evacuations, i.e. tattoos, tags, etc.
• Ensure that you are following the instructions of emergency services. Ignoring emergency alerts and evacuations orders can put your life and the lives of your family in danger and hinder the efforts of emergency services response efforts.

Additional tips are available at the Government of Alberta website.