“Be Prepared. Know Your Risks.” That is the theme of National Emergency Preparedness, which takes place from May 5 to 11. 

The Moose Jaw Fire Department is using the week to remind residents to understand the risks in your area and how to prepare for those emergencies. 

“It’s one of these things that sometime can get overlooked. I think it’s great that we have a week to promote this throughout the public and get our message across. Hopefully, it makes a difference and hopefully we never have to use it. But, during an event, hopefully it does make a difference in somebody’s lives,” said Moose Jaw Fire Department Deputy Chief and Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) Coordinator Mike Russell. 

Russell said some of the emergencies we could face includes floods, blizzards, tornadoes, and wildfires and grassfires. 

“There’s always different, unique things, but you have to be able to say if it’s this event, this is what we would do, where we would go or we would follow the lead of the emergency people in telling us what to do and then how are we going to notify our family,” he said. 

Residents are reminded to make a plan and have an emergency kit ready. The emergency kit should have enough supplies to keep you and your family self-sufficient for 72 hours. This includes water, non-perishable food and batteries. 

Russell recommended keeping your mobile phone fully charged to receive alerts and even have a transistor radio to listen to media updates. 

“It sounds like it’s a big thing you must do, but it’s not. It’s something you can do with your family in a matter of minutes to design and get that kit ready,” Russell said.  

“Let everybody know where it’s stored in the home, in the basement or wherever it is and then making sure that you’re replenishing stuff and checking your kit on a regular basis.” 

Your emergency plan should include information such as what do to with your pets (or livestock for producers), where to go if evacuated and how to communicate that you are safe to family, and where to find the emergency kit. 

More information about how to prepare for an emergency can be found on the federal government’s Get Prepared website.