Emergency Preparedness Week

Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) is a national event supported by Public Health Sudbury & Districts, working closely with provincial and territorial emergency management organizations, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector organizations who support activities at the local level. An annual event for over 25 years, Emergency Preparedness Week 2024 is May 5 to 11.

Emergencies can take many forms, for example, chemical spills, severe air quality from forest fires, danger from floods, a pandemic due to a new influenza strain. Being prepared is our best defense against an emergency and the risks they pose to our health and well-being.

Everyone has a role to play in emergency preparedness. EP Week is an opportunity for you to take action to ensure you are prepared to protect yourself, your family, and your community during an emergency. This year, the theme is “Be Prepared. Know Your Risks.” The intent of the week is to encourage Canadians to understand the risks in their area and learn what actions they can take to protect themselves and their families.

Knowing the risks specific to your area can help you prepare for emergencies by visiting www.phsd.ca/health-topics-programs/emergencies-being-prepared/.

What is an emergency plan?

Every household needs an emergency plan. It will help you and your family know what to do in case of an emergency. Your family may not be together when an emergency occurs. Plan how to meet or how to contact one another and discuss what you would do in different situations.

Both the Canadian Government and the Ministry of the Solicitor General have online emergency plan outlines that you can use to create your own plan.

What is an emergency kit?

Your emergency survival kit should have everything you and your family would need to be safe and take care of yourselves for at least 3 days immediately following an emergency. It should also be portable to take with you in the event of an unexpected evacuation.

For more information on emergency preparedness, please visit phsd.ca or contact Public Health Sudbury & Districts at 705.522.9200, ext. 464 (toll-free 1.866.522.9200).