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Top items you need in your emergency kit
York Region kicks off Emergency Preparedness Week
As summer approaches and Canadians head to their cottages, go boating or take a staycation an impending emergency is often far from their minds. To be prepared for an unexpected situation such as severe summer weather or evacuation order, Canadians should have an emergency preparedness kit to support themselves for a minimum of 72 hours.
As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, York Region has made it easy by putting together the top-five items you need to get your kit started today. Many of the items should already be available in your home; it’s a matter of gathering and storing them together in an easy-to-access backpack. More information is available in York Region’s Emergency Preparedness Guide.
1. Food and Water: Keep at least a three-day supply of water and non-perishable food for each person in your household. This equates to four litres of water per person/per day (two litres for drinking, two litres for food preparation/sanitation). Store purification tablets as they could be used to disinfect contaminated water. Select lightweight foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water.
2. Matches: This must-have essential will help you start a fire to cook food, light candles or stay warm in an emergency situation. Waterproof or stormproof matches are an ideal choice as regular matches and lighters can become damaged by wind and rain.
3. Flashlight: A durable flashlight is essential when the power goes out and you need to light your way. Look for one with low battery consumption. Even better, source a combination hand crank/solar powered version.
4. Radio: When you are looking for a reliable emergency radio, a crank or satellite version is a good option. This item will allow you to receive important weather and disaster updates during an emergency. It’s ideal if you can find a two-in-one radio and flashlight combination.
5. First-aid Kit: Purchase one, or make your own. Be sure to include items like: sterile adhesive bandages and gauze pads in assorted sizes, hypoallergenic adhesive tape, foil blanket, small scissors and antiseptic towelettes.
High-resolution photos of the above items are available upon request.
Once you've packed the essentials, be sure to personalize your kit further with specific family needs, such as medication or supplies for babies, seniors or pets.
To kick off Emergency Preparedness Week, a comprehensive checklist outlining additional kit items to consider is available at York.ca/beprepared Visit to view a video demo highlighting how to activate York Region emergency alerts on your mobile phone.
The Regional Municipality of York consists of nine local cities and towns, and provides a variety of programs and services to 1.2 million residents and 51,000 businesses with 620,000 employees. More information about the Region’s key service areas is available at york.ca/regionalservices |
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