Now is as good a time as any for those of us who do not have an emergency preparedness kit to put together a few supplies in the event disaster strikes.
Fire season is already upon us, with Mountain View County having recently issued a partial fire ban while the Rocky Forest Area is under a moderate fire risk advisory. The rainy season is not far behind, bringing along with it the annual threat of potential flooding if a consistent enough amount of precipitation comes down.
The general rule of thumb as recommended by government officials is to ensure individuals and families can, if required, remain self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours.
That includes — but by no means is limited to — the following: four litres of water per person per day; non-perishable food for the whole family including pets; first-aid kit; flashlights as well as radios and spare batteries; spare set of car keys, credit cards and cash; sanitation supplies; prescription meds; chargers for digital communication devices; a list of emergency phone numbers; and a change of clothing.
Naturally, kits should be customized for everyone’s personal situation. A pregnant couple expecting a child will, for example, have a different needs assessment than a senior who requires certain medications.
But each kit should contain some of the common basics.
Having ample supplies of water — for consumption and hygiene — food, medication and clothing are without question a crucial aspect of emergency preparedness.
Also recommended is anticipating the likely possibility of being separated from family when calamity hits — chances are parents could be at work while the kids are at school, or hanging out with friends once summer comes along — and establishing rallying or muster points so everyone knows where to regroup.
And if you’ve already got an emergency kit and plan in place, consider taking just a few minutes to double-check your supplies to ensure canned goods or medications have not expired.
While responders — both volunteer and professional — do everything within their training and available resources during an unfolding natural catastrophe, they cannot reasonably be expected to be everywhere helping everyone at once.
That means making sure that should worse comes to worst, we are all ready to weather the storm until rescuers can arrive.
Visit www.aema.alberta.ca/build-a-kit for a far more comprehensive list of items to consider including in an emergency kit.
As the saying goes, better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.
— Ducatel is the Round Up’s editor
