Are you prepared for an emergency?

Emergency Management Planning Committee
News Release

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Take the Challenge,’ is this year’s theme for Emergency Preparedness Week May 1-7. Emergency Preparedness Week is a Canada wide initiative to increase awareness about individual and family preparedness, emphasizing how the public can reduce the risks and consequences of an emergency by being better prepared. The first 72 hours during an emergency are critical and every family should be prepared to be as self-sufficient as possible; as emergency services will be dealing with the larger scale emergency during this time period.

Community Emergency Management Coordinator and Fire Chief for North Bay Grant Love stated, “Hoping for the best is not a plan.” “Every household needs to prepare for an emergency and to have a plan. Your family may not be together when a disaster occurs. Plan how to meet or contact one another and discuss what you would do in different situations. Secondly, prepare an “emergency kit” to ensure your family is self-sufficient in your home for at least three days, keeping in mind that the City may be without power during that time.” An attached list is a great guideline to preparing your “emergency kit”.

North Bay has a very active Community Emergency Management Planning Committee (CEMPC) that includes representation from all sectors in our community. Together they have developed a viable plan for our community should a large scale emergency occur. This committee meets on a regular basis as well as plans and practices mock emergencies for the training of emergency personnel. These scenarios identify one of our area’s top potential emergencies which include flooding, storms and hazardous materials.
Monday May 2 – Saturday May 7 a display will be set-up at Northgate Square offering information to the public on how to be prepared.

You can’t predict an emergency, but you can prepare for one. By taking a few simple steps, you can be better prepared. To learn more about emergency preparedness ‘Take the Challenge’ at www.ontario.ca/beprepared.

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