Emergency Preparedness Week

The City of St. John’s and the St. John’s Regional Fire Department are recognizing May 7 to 13 as Emergency Preparedness Week.

This week is an opportunity for all residents to take action to ensure they are prepared to protect yourself, your family and your community during an emergency.

This year, the theme is Be Prepared. Know Your Risks. The intent of the theme is to encourage Canadians to understand the risks in their area and learn what actions they can take to protect themselves and their families.

Emergencies come in many forms and can happen at any time, as we have seen over the last year with wildfires in central Newfoundland, and Hurricane Fiona on the west coast. Being prepared to be on your own for 72 hours becomes more and more important when we consider these recent emergency events in our province.

If an emergency happens in your community, it may take emergency workers some time to reach you. Everyone should be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for a minimum of 72 hours.

Step 1 - Know the Risks

Although the consequences of various disasters can be similar, knowing the risks in your region can help you better prepare.

Step 2 - Make a Plan

Every Canadian household needs an emergency plan. It will help you and your family know what to do in case of an emergency. It will take you about 20 minutes to make your plan.

Step 3 - Get an Emergency Kit

In an emergency, you will need some basic supplies. You may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

Emergency Preparedness Week is a national awareness initiative that has taken place annually since 1996. Learn more at getprepared.gc.ca.

On social media you can follow @Get_Prepared for helpful tips and info on what to do before, during and after an emergency.

Alert Ready Testing

On Wednesday, May 10, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador department of Justice and Public Safety are participating in a test of the Alert Ready System.

The government will issue one test message to be distributed over television, radio and to compatible wireless devices at 10:55 a.m. For further information about Alert Ready in the province, please refer to the department of Justice and Public Safety.