May 1st to 7th was Emergency Preparedness Week which took on a whole new level of importance this year as many Chestermere residents reflected on last summers flooding and were looking forward to getting educated on how to be prepared for emergencies. As this week kicked off and we watched residents of Fort McMurray have to flee their homes to escape the blazing grip of a wild fire, emergency preparedness took on a whole new meaning.
Whether you go through a fire, flooding, a tornado or earthquake – one thing is consistent with emergencies. You never know when they’re coming and that sense of unpredictability is what usually is the most unsettling aspect. When it comes to emergency preparedness, it is definitely one of those things where it is better to have it and not need it then need it and not have it.
Following last years flooding, many residents began looking at what they did, or did not, have in place when it came to emergency kits and plans. The City of Chestermere decided that during this national awareness week, it would be of great benefit to hold events that would be full of tools and resources to help residents get prepared.
Saturday May 7th there was an Emergency Preparedness Open House at the Chestermere Fire Hall where residents could check out the fire trucks, meeting with members of the CHEMA (Chestermere Emergency Management Agency), get emergency social services information, meet Sparky the Fire Dog and obtain valuable tools and information on creating an emergency preparedness kit and plan. “We had 139 people attend and answered questions about Chestermere’s preparedness and how we partner with other agencies”, said Megan Matthies, Corporate Communications Strategist with the City of Chestermere.
Tuesday May 10th was the E-Prep Workshop held at the Chestermere Municipal Building. The intent of the workshop was to encourage individuals to discuss, explore, discover and develop their own personal emergency preparedness plan.
These E-Prep workshops were created following the 2013 flooding in Calgary and High River and are a collaboration between Alberta Health Services (AHS), Carya and CMHA (Canadian Mental Health Association). To date, over thirty of these workshops have been conducted with over 650 participants.
The workshop facilitator, Kathy McFee with AHS, stated that only one in four Canadians have an emergency plan in place and with Alberta seeing 126 disasters in the past fifty years, it shows there needs to be an increase in Albertans being prepared.
The workshop began with a short slide show presentation and then the group, which consisted of fourteen registrants, a few members of City staff and the meeting facilitators, was split into two work groups.
Step by step they went through a simple, yet detailed workbook that addressed things such as where would you go if you had to evacuate? Do you have enough food and water in your home if you couldn’t leave? What would you do with your pets?
The E-Prep workbook walks step by step through four categories:
• Be informed – this lists your emergency contacts and what means that you have during or following the disaster to stay up to date on the situation
• Make a plan – includes a plan for your family, your pets and also pet care should you either be evacuated or trapped in your home
• Make a kit – water, food, first aid, other supplies, vehicle kits should you trapped in your vehicle during an emergency and also special needs
• Review the plan and maintain the kits – ensuring that once you’ve created your plan and kit that you ensure it still meets your needs and also stays fill and up to date.
Although there is nothing you can do to prevent an emergency, being prepared can give you some peace of mind. For more information you can visit www.getprepared.gc.ca
