Long Sault — It’s Emergency Preparedness Week. May 5 to 11 is Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada and provides an opportunity to remind people of the need to be able to cope for at least 72 hours of an emergency while emergency workers help those in urgent need.

Our area has been fortunate to miss out on major wind storms and flooding this year. These incidents in other parts of Ontario have caused problems with water supplies and cut off electricity and phone services for days. Families have been forced to evacuate. Forest fires are now occurring in Southern Ontario. Being prepared can make these types of situations less stressful on families. Information to guide people preparing for emergencies is available from Public Safety Canada (GetPrepared.ca) and Emergency Management Ontario (Ontario.ca/beprepared and 1-877-314-3723).

Ontario’s Emergency Preparedness Week theme is “Seniors and Emergencies”. Emergency Management Ontario recognizes that Seniors have much experience to draw on, but they can also face added challenges and vulnerabilities. They need to consider their specific needs. A guide to help Seniors prepare for emergencies is available through Emergency Management Ontario.

Excellent “free” material is available from Public Safety Canada and Emergency Management Ontario to help people make Canada’s 18th Emergency Preparedness Week a success by becoming more disaster resilient through being prepared.