Here's what you need in your emergency kit in case disaster strikes

With BC and Yellowknife in a state of emergency amid widespread wildfires, now’s a good time to build an emergency kit if you don’t already have one.

In the case of the BC wildfires, the situation “deteriorated quite rapidly,” and this is the worst wildfire season the province has seen. Within one hour, the number of people under evacuation orders jumped from 4,500 to 15,000.

The 72-hour rule

Before any disaster, you need to be prepared with essentials and have an emergency kit ready. As it may take first responders and emergency workers time to reach the affected area, you should have an emergency kit ready to take care of you and your family for at least 72 hours.

If you know the risks related to your region, it helps in building your emergency kit and plan. Many provinces across Canada may face floods, British Columbia is prone to earthquakes, Nunavut is prone to blizzards, and Ontario is prone to tornadoes. Other than natural disasters, there may be other risks, including power outages and accidents. To know more about your region’s specific risks, check the Get Prepared website.

Supplied/Andrew Levangie

How to make an emergency plan

An emergency plan helps you and your family know what to do in the case of an emergency. It will take you about 20 minutes to make your plan. Check this template from Getprepared.ca to see how you can make different plans according to your needs.

• Plan how to meet or contact your family members and discuss what you would do in different situations.
• Make a plan for each member of the family, whether they are at home or at school/place of work. You may want to consider making a plan for your pet, like taking them to a friend’s house, as some emergency shelters do not allow pets.
• Write down all the details of the special needs of all family members, including medical needs and add a copy of this to your emergency plan.
• Make copies of this plan and ensure all family members know where to access it. You can even store both physical and digital copies of this plan for easy access.
• Work with your neighbours to identify people who may need extra help during an emergency. To help make sure everyone is taken care of, assign “block buddies.”

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What to put in your emergency kit

• Water: At least two litres of water per person per day. Therefore, a family of four should keep 20 litres of water on hand. It’s recommended to include small bottles that can be easily carried during evacuation.
• Non-perishable food: Canned food, energy bars, dried fruit and vegetables – and enough of it to last three days (replace food and water once a year)
• Manual can-opener
• Crank or battery-powered flashlight with extra batteries (replace batteries once a year)
• Crank or battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• First aid kit with:
  • bandaids
  • bandages
  • sterilized gauze pads
  • adhesive tape
  • scissors
  • tweezers
  • safety pins
  • instant ice packs
  • disposable non-latex gloves
  • antiseptic wipes or soap
  • pencil and paper
  • pocket mask or face shield
• Extra keys to your house and car
• Some cash in smaller bills, such as $5 and $10, and change for payphones.
• Contact information for relatives and neighbours
• Other personal items, if needed, like:
  • prescription medications
  • infant formula
  • equipment for people with disabilities
  • food and water for pets
• Copy of your Emergency Plan

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Other useful items for your emergency kit:

• Two extra litres of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning
• Candles and matches or a lighter
• Footwear and clothing for each household member
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each household member
• Toiletries
• Hand sanitizer
• Utensils
• Garbage bags
• Toilet paper
• Water purifying tablets
• Basic tools like a hammer, wrench, screwdriver, work gloves, pocket knife, and a dust mask
• A whistle and flare
• Duct tape
• Photocopies of all important identification for each household member, including health card numbers
• A fire extinguisher
• Battery-powered GPS device
• Extra battery pack for cell phone and laptop