2025-May-09
Be Ready for Anything: Simple Steps to Help You Prepare for Emergencies
Emergency Preparedness Week runs from May 4 to 10, 2025, and it’s a crucial reminder that emergencies can strike anywhere, anytime. This year’s theme “Plan for every season”, highlights the importance of preparing for emergencies throughout the year, not just during extreme weather events. From infectious diseases to extreme weather events like flooding and forest fires, being prepared is key to keeping you and your loved ones safe.
Three simple steps to become better prepared to face a range of emergencies
- Know the risks – understand potential emergencies that could affect your area
- Make a plan – develop a household emergency plan that includes contact information, escape routes, and a meeting point
- Have an emergency kit – stock up on essentials like food, water, and first aid supplies
Emergency management planning is a community effort, and every household should have a plan in place.
Considerations when Making an Emergency Management Plan
- Develop an emergency plan with family members and loved ones and consider conducting drills to practice your plan
- Know the risks
- all municipalities are vulnerable to many potential emergencies like severe weather, chemical spills, or an influenza pandemic
- Determine safe rooms in your cottage to use for shelter
- Post emergency phone numbers and your address in a central location at your cottage — don’t forget to include your 3 words from what3words!
- Choose an out-of-town contact every family member should call or email if the family gets separated in an emergency (an out-of-town contact should be someone less likely to be affected by the same emergency)
- Ensure that even young children know their address and phone number
- Locate gas, water heater and electrical shutoffs in your home and mark them with labels (colour-coded if possible)
- Prepare for family health needs (medication, medical supplies, etc.), make provisions for any special needs, and learn First Aid and CPR
- Establish a meeting place if separated during an evacuation
- To best protect pets, bring them with you; locate a shelter and pack supplies
- Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and check that they are working each month
- Have a working fire extinguisher on hand
GBA has a great resource to make sure your cottage first aid kit is stocked and ready, here.
For more information on emergency preparedness, including how to build an emergency kit, visit www.GetPrepared.ca.
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