Running May 6-12, Emergency Preparedness Week is an annual event that gives the Province the opportunity to remind families how to prepare for being caught in an emergency or a disaster.

British Columbians know that the province experiences a wide range of events like wildfires, earthquakes, flooding and severe weather. Preparing a 72-hour emergency kit is easy to do, can be done at a low cost, and is one of the most important things a family can do to ensure their well-being in the event of an emergency.

What you need in a basic home emergency kit:

• Water - two litres of water per person per day (include small bottles that can be carried easily in case of an evacuation order).
• Food - canned food, energy bars and dried foods that will not spoil (remember to replace the food and water once a year).
• Manual can opener.
• Flashlight and batteries.
• Battery powered or wind-up radio (and extra batteries).
• First aid kit.
• Special needs items - prescription medications, infant formula or equipment for people with disabilities.
• Extra keys for your car and house.
• Cash - include smaller bills, such as $10 bills (travellers' cheques are also useful) and change for payphones.
• Emergency plan - include a copy of it and ensure it contains in-town and out-of-town contact information.
• A copy of important documents - birth certificate, passport, BC CareCard, insurance, photos of family members.
• Pet food.

Some recommended items:

• A change of clothing and footwear for each household member.
• Sleeping bag or warm (foil) blanket for each household member.
• A whistle (in case you need to attract attention).
• Garbage bags for personal sanitation.
• Toilet paper and other personal care supplies.
• Safety gloves.
• Basic tools (hammer, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, fasteners, work gloves).
• Small fuel-driven stove and fuel (follow manufacturer's directions and store properly).
• Two additional litres of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning.

In addition to the above home kit, it's also important to have a 'Grab & Go Kit' that is light and portable in case you have to leave your home with little or no notice. Suggested items for this kit can be found here: http://www.pep.bc.ca/hazard_preparedness/personal_preparedness.html

Disaster preparedness kits can be purchased from the Canadian Red Cross by going to their website: www.redcross.ca

To learn more about how you can be prepared for a disaster, visit the Emergency Management BC website at: www.pep.bc.ca

and the Public Safety Canada website at: www.getprepared.gc.ca

Contact:

Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961