By Liam Verster

Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership

‘Be Ready For Anything’ the message for Emergency Preparedness Week

May 4, 2021 | 1:31 PM

Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) is advising people to be prepared for any sort of emergency situation as part of National Emergency Preparedness Week.

GPREP’s Emergency Coordinator, Peter Emsor, says the spring melt flooding risk has passed, but there are still lots of hazards to be prepared for in the Peace Country.

“Without the moisture in the ground, we have the potential for a more significant wildfire season,” says Emsor. “No big surprise there. Wildfires, bush fires, grass fires, those are the big risks for us.

“Along with hazardous material spills, high intensity residential fires, agricultural plant disease, airplane crash, tornadoes,” he added. “So, really, the risks that we’re facing here in the Peace Country really do underscore the ‘Be Ready For Anything’ theme that Emergency Preparedness Week has for this year.”

He adds heavy rain or thunderstorms can also bring the risk of flooding, and people should be ready for that as well.

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In order to be prepared for emergency situations, Emsor advises people to have emergency plans in place, and to put together emergency kits with enough supplies to last for 72 hours.

“The reality is that if you’re being evacuated you don’t have a whole lot of time and you really do need to do a little pre-planning. You have to be self-sufficient for at least that 72 hours because where you’re going from, or going to, may not have all the amenities that you’re used to and it may take some time to establish those,” says Emsor.

The kits should be kept someplace easily accessible and consist of at least:

• Fresh water
• Non-perishable food
• Flashlights
• Radio
• Fresh batteries
• Emergency blanket
• Warm clothes
• Cash
• First Aid Kit
• Extra keys for car and house
• A copy of the emergency plan and contact information
• Items specific to the family, like medication, infant formula, pet food, etc.

Further details on what can be kept in an emergency kit can be found at the Government of Canada’s Emergency Preparedness Guide website.

Emsor says it’s also important to keep at least one of these kits in the house in case of extended power outages or situations where leaving is not possible, and one should be kept in the car in case an emergency situation arises while out of the house or on a road trip.

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and the rising rate of variants of concern in Alberta, Emsor says it’s good to prepare for that as well. That means having food and supplies stocked up at home in case of having to isolate, and following public health guidelines such as social distancing, frequent hand washing and sanitizing, and wearing masks in public places.