Be aware and be prepared

Times Contributor         

 

Are you prepared to survive without services for 72 hours? 

That is the message Bill McMurtry, a warning preparedness meteorologist for south central Alberta working with the Meteorological Services of Canada, asked lecture attendees at the County of Wheatland on April 30. 

McMurtry was asked to speak to ratepayers, to stimulate conversations on emergency preparedness. May 4-10 is designated as Emergency Preparedness Week.

“One of the things emergency preparedness officials like to see is people who can be self-sufficient for a 72-hour period. This assumes there is no natural gas, no running water, no electricity or telecommunications. If you took all those elements out of your life could you survive?” asked McMurtry.

McMurtry said that few people think about their safety ahead of time and often wait until they have gone through a devastating experience to consider what they could have done better. McMurtry said being prepared can often mean the difference between life and death.

So what should people do to prepare for emergencies?

He advises residents to know the risks they are vulnerable to. Make a plan to deal with emergencies, which includes advising family members and assembling resources to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours. A good site about identifying risks and making plans is www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/flds-eng.aspx another site is www.aema.alberta.ca .

McMurtry encourages everyone to become knowledgeable about what to do when an emergency situation occurs. It includes things like knowing your emergency exits and corridors. Have emergency numbers ready and the information you need quickly available. Know where the shut-off valves for your natural gas and water are and learn how to shut them off. Identify and prepare the resources you might need for a 72-hour period without services. Have an emergency medical kit, about two litres of water per person, non-perishable food, manual can openers, cash, batteries and flashlights and specialized items like medications. Small kits can be left in the trunks of cars at all times and should be revisited at least once a year.

The warning system for this region is generated at the Environment Canada weather office in Edmonton, which transmits any alerts every 24 hours through the Emergency Alert System province-wide. 

“The Alberta Emergency Alert is probably one of the best alert systems in all of Canada and the envy of other areas in Canada. The government of Alberta developed the system and Environment Canada plays a part by delivering the weather-related information to the system,” said McMurtry. Messages go to all the media centres and internet services and municipalities. The scale moves from a watch, which means conditions are favourable to the formation of an event, to a warning that indicates the event is imminent, which alerts individuals to the severity of the threats.