Your Community

Emergency Preparedness

Guide Book

HOME DISASTER SUPPLY KIT

Flash Flood - Hazardous Materials Spill - Winter Storm - Fire - Hurricane - Earthquake - Tornado

     After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will be on the scene, but they cannot reach everyone immediately.  You could get help in hours, or it may take days.  Would your family be prepared to cope with the emergency until help arrives?

     Your family will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes.  One way to prepare is by assembling a Disaster Supplies Kit.

     Once disaster hits, you won't have time to shop or search for supplies.  But if you've gathered supplies in advance, your family can endure an evacuation or home confinement.

To prepare your kit:

     Review the checklist below:

     Gather the supplies that are listed.  You may need them if your family is confined at home.

     Place the supplies you'd most likely need for an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container.  These supplies are listed with an asterisk (*).

WATER

     Store water in plastic containers such as soft drink bottles.  Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles.

     A normally active person needs to drink at least two litres of water each day.  Hot environments and intense physical activity can double that amount.

     Children, nursing mothers and ill people will need more.

• Store 4.5 litres of water per person per day (half for drinking, half for food preparation/sanitation).*

• Keep at least a five-day supply of water for each person in your household.

• Purification tablets or chlorine bleach and eye droppers.

FOOD

     Store at least a five-day supply of non-perishable food for each member of your family.

     Choose familiar foods that require no refrigeration, cooking, water or preparation, are compact and lightweight and are liked by those who will be eating them.  If you must cook or heat food, include a stove and fuel.

     Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supply Kit:

• Ready-to-eat canned meats, canned beans, fruit and vegetables

• Canned juice/juice boxes, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)

• Sugar and some favorite spices/herbs

• Peanut butter (or other nut butters), jam/jelly, dried fruit, whole grain crackers, nuts, granola bars, trail mix

• Comfort foods - cookies, hard candies, potato chips, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, tea bags

• Special foods for infants, elderly persons or persons on special diets

• Vitamin/mineral supplement

FIRST AID KIT

     Assemble a first aid kit for your home

A First Aid Kit should include:

• Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes

• 2-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)

• 4-inch sterile gauze pads (4-6)

• Hypoallergenic adhesive tape

• Triangular bandages (3)

• 2-inch sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)

• Stainless steel scissors

• Tweezers

• 1 large non-stick burn dressing

• Moistened towelettes

• Thermometer

• Tongue depressor

• Instant cold pack

• Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

• Assorted sizes of safety pins

• Cleansing agent/soap

• Latex gloves (2 pairs)

• Sunscreen (SPF 15 or higher)

• St. John Ambulance First Aid Manual

TOOLS AND SUPPLIES

• Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils *

• Emergency Preparedness manual *

• Battery operated radio and extra batteries *

• Flashlight and extra batteries *

• Cash or traveler's cheques, change *

• Non-electric can opener, utility knife *

• Fire extinguisher, small canister, ABC type

• Matches in a waterproof container

• Plastic storage container

• Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water

• Map of the area (for locating shelters)

• Tube tent

• Pliers

• Tape

• Compass

• Aluminum foil

• Signal flare

• Paper, pencil

• Needles, thread

• Medicine dropper

• Whistle

• Plastic sheeting

• Sanitation

• Toilet paper, towelettes *

• Soap, liquid detergent *

• Feminine supplies *

• Personal hygiene items *

• Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)

• Plastic bucket with tight lid

• Disinfectant

• Household chlorine bleach

• Hammer and nails, crowbar

• Lantern and fuel

• Emergency blanket

• Mosquito repellent

• Rope

• Shovel

CLOTHING AND BEDDING

     * Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.  Your goal is to keep your family warm, dry and fed.  When you are wet, you will lose heat rapidly.  As children grow, check the clothing size of items in your emergency kit on a regular basis.

Cold Weather

• Hats, mitts, boots and coats

• Blankets

• Extra clothing

• Dress in layers

Hot Weather

• Extra clothing, nights can be cool

• Footwear

• Rain wear

• Insect repellant

• Sunscreen

• Hats

SPECIAL ITEMS

     Remember family members with special needs, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons.

For infants over 6 months *

• Powdered formula (if not breastfeeding)

• Bottled sterile water

• Bottles

• Diapers and diaper bag

• Vaseline, Penaten cream

• Diaper wipes

• Baby food in jars

• infant cereal

• Medications

• Extra clothing as babies may soil more clothing than older children

• Snowsuit if cold

For adults *

• Heart and high blood pressure medication

• Insulin

• Prescription drugs

• Denture needs

• Contact lenses and supplies

• Extra eye glasses

• Hearing aid and batteries

• Aspirin

• Entertainment, games and books

For people with mobility problems *

• Extra wheelchair batteries, oxygen, medication, catheters, food for guide or service dogs, or other special equipment you might need

• A list of family physicians and the relative or friend who should be notified if you are injured

• A list of the style and serial numbers of medical devices such as pacemakers

• An extra set of car keys

Also

• Store back-up equipment, such as a manual wheelchair, at a neighbour's home, school, or your workplace

• Keep the shut-off switch for oxygen equipment near your bed or chair, so you can get to it quickly if there is a fire

For pets

• Leashes, pet food, containment devices

Important Family Documents

     Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container

• Will, insurance policies, contracts, deeds, stocks and bonds

• Passports, social security cards, Health card numbers, immunization records

• Bank account numbers

• Credit card account numbers and companies

• Inventory of valuable household goods, important telephone numbers

• Family records (birth, marriage, death certificated)

TO GET STARTED

• Find out which disasters are most likely to happen in your community

• Ask how you would be warned

• Find out how to prepare for each

Meet with your family

• Discuss the types of disasters that could occur

• Explain how to prepare and respond

• Discuss what to do if advised to evacuate

• Practice what you have discussed

• Plan how your family will stay in contact if separated by disaster

• Pick two meeting places: 1- a location a safe distance from your home in case of fire; 2- a place outside your neighbourhood in case you can't return home

• Choose an out-of-province friend as a "check-in contact" for everyone to call

• If you live in an apartment, ask the management to identify and mark accessible exits

• If you or someone in your household uses a wheelchair, make more than one exit from your home

Complete these steps

• Post emergency telephone numbers by every phone

• Show responsible family members how and when to shut off water, gas and electricity at main switches

• Install a smoke detector on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries two times each year

• Contact your local fire department to learn about home fire hazards

• Learn first aid and CPR

Meet with your neighbours

• Plan how the neighbourhood could work together after a disaster

• Know your neighbours' skills (medical, technical)

• Consider how you could help neighbour who have special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons

• Make plans for child care in case parents can't get home

REMEMBER TO PRACTICE AND MAINTAIN YOUR PLAN

     Disasters happen anytime and anywhere.  When disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond.  

     A highway spill of hazardous material could mean instant evacuation.  A winter storm could confine your family at home.  An earthquake, flood, tornado or any other disaster could cut off basic services (gas, water, electricity and telephones) for days.

SUPPLIES

     There are six basics you should stock in your home:  water, food, first aid supplies, clothing and bedding, tools and emergency supplies and special items

     Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container-suggested items are marked with an asterisk (*).

Possible containers include:

• a large, covered trash container,

• a camping backpack,

• or a duffle bag

SUGGESTIONS AND REMINDERS

• Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members.  Keep a smaller version of the Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk of your car.

• Keep items in air tight plastic bags.

• Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh.

• Rotate your stored food every six months.

• Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year.  Replace batteries, update cloths, etc.

• Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications.

• If you experience and emergency and use items from your emergency supply kit, replace them.

Note:  If a member of your family has a known or suspected allergy to bee stings, consult your family physician about the advisability of purchasing an Ana Kit or EpiPen.

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