-Written by David Whittier
As Emergency Management consultants, we at Ally have dedicated ourselves to helping organizations prepare for emergency situations. We’ve worked with companies, schools, municipalities, police departments and airports, and we know they are working hard to make sure you are safe and cared for if the unthinkable happens.
But it’s not just them that should be planning.
As citizens, we have a responsibility to make sure we are prepared to take care of our own, at least until the large-scale plans kick in. Especially in BC, where wildfires are common and the Big One is only a matter of time, there are things we can and should do to help ensure our safety:
- Know your Hazards. BC is a beautiful province, but there are dangers here as well. The BC Emergency Preparedness website (link below) lists 10 potential hazards that can occur in BC. Know which ones are applicable to where you live.
- Have a Plan. Sit down and talk with your family about how you will respond in case of an emergency. This could mean doing your own fire evacuation drills, making sure your house and landscaping are designed with wildfires in mind, or having an established rendezvous point for your family members in case of earthquake. Know what to do before, during, and after an earthquake. Remember the old adage: “Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail”.
- Get Your Kit Together. Build yourself an emergency kit or a “grab and go” bag in case your home is no longer livable, or you need to evacuate. It doesn’t need to be expensive or elaborate, but you should have enough supplies to last your family up to a week. Ours is in a 60 litre storage tote in the garage.
An effective emergency response will require all of us to do our part. Make sure you are prepared.
Emergency Planning Resources:
PreparedBC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc
British Columbia FireSmart: https://firesmartbc.ca/
Get Prepared for an Earthquake in BC: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc/know-your-hazards/earthquakes
