Emergency Preparedness Week

Despite the sunshine, it wasn’t too long ago that residents in Wellesley and Woolwich townships were under a state of emergency due to an ice storm.

Thousands living in Waterloo Region were without power for more than 24 hours.

And if they weren’t ready for it then — they likely would be now.

This is the 18th annual Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada, and the theme in Ontario this year is “Spotlight on Seniors.”

Waterloo Region’s Emergency Measures Program Manager Steve LaRochelle says the campaign is designed to make sure everybody is aware of what they will need to be ready for a natural, man-made, or technological disaster.

LaRochelle tells 570 News the biggest concern is a natural disaster.

He says this includes any type of adverse weather condition — an ice storm, snow storm, high winds, or flooding.

LaRochelle says many of these events can knock out hydro and cell phone towers.

He says it’s important that you and your family have a plan in place so you know where to meet if you can’t contact one another.

He says you should also have at least one landline phone that doesn’t require power to be used.

This way, you will be able to contact your local emergency officials to find out where warming centres have been set up, with hot food and water.

But LaRochelle says it’s also very important that every family have a 72-hour survival kit.

He says it should include enough water and non-perishable food to get your family through the first 72 hours.

It should also have clothes, sleeping bags, candles, flashlights and any important items like medication.

For seniors, it should also include any other medical devices that would be needed.

LaRochelle says a recent Public Health survey found about 60 per cent of local residents have a kit prepared and a family plan — but ideally that number would be 100 per cent.

More information can be found on the Region’s website at www.wrem.ca or at www.emergencymanagementontario.ca