The Importance of Being Emergency Ready
An emergency can take various forms – from a house fire, a chemical spill, or a major earthquake. By definition, an emergency is a serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation that requires immediate action. Imagine the fear and anxiety you could feel given the extremely disruptive nature of losing your most basic utilities.
Have an emergency plan in place
While most people recognize the importance of emergency preparedness (EP), not everyone has actually taken the steps necessary to get themselves and their family prepared. It is important to have a plan identifying safe exits at your home, family meeting places, contact details, pet precautions and more.
There are many misconceptions about emergencies:- Emergencies don’t last long. Actually, emergencies can last 72 hours or more.
- Emergencies don’t happen in my neighborhood. An emergency can happen anytime, anywhere, be it a house fire, an earthquake, or a flood.
- There are a lot of emergencies I just can't prepare for. Experts advise that by preparing for an earthquake, you actually become prepared for most natural disasters.
- Preparing takes too much time. Actually, an emergency plan is doable in as little as an hour.
If you’re not prepared, an emergency can quickly escalate into a disaster. If you are prepared, you’ll get through the disaster far better than those who aren’t.
St. John Ambulance BC/Yukon has put together a free downloadable Emergency Ready Plan & Checklist at
www.setforemergency.com to help you and your loved ones get emergency ready. This guide will help you break down the emergency preparedness process into bite-sized chunks that you can personalize, save and refer back to. Step-by-step, we’ll help you create a household EP plan, prepare an EP kit, and we’ll keep you informed on how to confidently manage an emergency, and in the process, secure some piece of mind for you and your family.
Emergency preparedness allows you to take matters into your own hands, and possibly prevent the most unimaginable of losses. You can take responsibility for your own safety and well-being to ensure the best possible outcome - for you and your family.
So spread the word and get your family and friends involved so that you can be emergency ready.