#beready For an Emergency – Emergency Preparedness Week is this Week

As a blogger with “influence” I get emails day after day after day asking me to give a shout out about a cause, write a post for charity or even donate. As you can imagine helping every charity is impossible. I choose to participate in campaigns that are near and dear to my heart. Usually animal and children focused. There is one organization I have been a huge supporter from since I was a teen. An organization that helps everyone, everywhere. Even in our own backyard when nobody else will help they are often first on the scene. Not only do they help people in emergencies but the Canadian Red Cross is all about preventing an emergency. They offer swimming lessons and CPR to prepare you for the future. I am proud to support the Canadian Red Cross as their newest volunteer on their social media team.

Red-Cross-logo

What does this mean?

Well it means I get to continue to offer my readers information along with fun emergency preparedness giveaways. It also means when disaster strikes I will help spread the word through my social media networks. The other members are the team are very hip and I am so honoured to be part of this team.

A few years back my family was stuck in a horrible storm. We along with our neighbours lived on an island and had no power. For 10 days. Living on an island you are very limited for resources. Power was out and trees were down everywhere. Emergency crews took care of people in emergency situations first. We were not considered emergency. We had a generator and bottled water. Having no power, the pump on our well did not work. So no drinking water. We had a stash of candles, flashlights and dried foods. We also had First Aid kits and a cell phone. (But the hones were not working in all areas, even on a good day) On the island, no power also means no gas. So living there you would learn to keep gas on your property for these situations. We were not prepared. We could have been more prepared. You do not realize what you may need until it happens. You can just plan and prepare as best as possible. November in Canada, even on the West Coast is cold.

Our generator saved our food. Our generator was powered by the gas we had for these situations. We all slept in one bed and had a space heater going plugged into the generator. We ate dried goods and BBQed . The town 30 minutes away got power after a few days. A friend offered us her place to shower and eat warm meals. She would cook us a big dinner and send home goodie bags. She offered us a place to stay but room was limited. We were okay with our set up. Many were not. That had shelters set up for seniors and others who did not have anything to keep warm.

After this long powerless few days my husband decided a wood stove would always be top priority. A way to cook and heat the house no matter what.

I say we were not prepared, even though to many we were. Our neighbours lost everything. They stayed in shelters, lost their food and had to send their pets to farms to keep warm and fed. Living on an island or living anywhere, you need to be prepared. Not only at home, but in the car and at school and work.

trees down

Canadian Red Cross wants to know, are you prepared? If an emergency struck in your area would you be prepared?

Emergency Preparedness Week, an annual awareness campaign to encourage Canadians to be better prepared to deal with disasters in their communities. The Red Cross urges Canadians to know the risks that are most likely going to affect them where they live.

Despite the fact that nearly half of Canadians have experienced at least two types of personal emergencies or disasters, two thirds of Canadians say they have not taken the steps to prepare for a disaster. While many Canadians believe that disasters are not an issue in their communities, the fact is that every province and territory experienced a disaster within the past year. The Canadian Red Cross responded to over 2,300 disasters in the past year, including everything from house fires to wildfires, landslides, severe flooding, power outages, and hurricanes.

In a large-scale emergency, responders may not be able to reach you for at least 72 hours. Being prepared with a kit for you and your family will allow you to remain safe while emergency personnel respond to your community’s most urgent needs.

GIVEAWAY TIME!

I have a fab giveaway for 3 Canadian readers. Ends May 12th at 11;59PM. Winners will be notified by email so be sure to include it in your comment.

Are you prepared?

Being prepared means having the knowledge, plans, and tools to cope in an emergency. This includes knowing the risks in your community, making an emergency plan, and getting or making an emergency preparedness kit.

 Ways to enter:

  • Do you know the risks for disaster in your home or neighbourhood? Comment on this blog post with what those risks are (1 entry)
  • OR-> Are you prepared? Post a photo, video, or blog to your social networks (Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest) demonstrating one thing you have done with your family to prepare for a disaster. Remember to tag Canadian Red Cross in it and leave the URL below.(1 entry)
  • Bonus entry- After you have doe 1 or both of the entries above you can tweet or share this entry daily via the share buttons below. 1 share per day. (each share is 1 entry)

Prizes ( 1 prize per winner, radio selected at random)

The Canadian Red Cross and ETON have partnered to provide some prizes to help you be prepared: 

ETON 170  ETON MicroLink FR 170 Weather Radio – Stay connected in an emergency with this AM/FM Weather Radio with USB cell phone charger that receives audio broadcasts issued by Environment Canada for weather warnings and alerts. Includes built-in LED flashlight and USB cell phone charger. Powered by solar panel and dynamo crank. (Retail value: $36.95)

 

 

 

ETON 370   ETON SolarLink FR 370 Weather Radio – enhanced weather radio that receives audio broadcasts from Environment Canada filtering only broadcasts that affect your area. Also includes an alarm clock. (Retail value: $67.95)

 

 

 

 

 

The Canadian Red Cross has many helpful resources to help you and your family plan for an emergency. To learn more about how to make an emergency plan, what to pack in an emergency kit, and about the risks in your area, visit redcross.ca/prepare 

Comments

  1. The risk for disaster in my home and area is winter or ice storm, earthquakes, power outages, floods, heat emergencies. Those would be the major ones.

  2. The risks for my area our hurricanes (2 in the last 3 years), power outages and winter storms

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

  3. shared – https://twitter.com/Vesper1931/status/33189903829

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

  4. Yes – emergency plan for getting out of the house with our emergency container to take with us.

  5. KittyPride says

    We are on the coast so a tsunami flooding is possible as are earthquakes, we know where the natural gas shutoff is (it is labelled too) in case we need to shut it off.

  6. Risks in my area are typical for an urban environment: power outages and storms (winter snow and rain storms).

  7. Heidi C. says

    We live in an area that is prone to bad rainstorms so potential power outages is a big deal, There are also a lot of woods around so forest fires are also a risk.

  8. Heidi C. says
  9. The risk for disaster in my neighbourhood is mainly earthquakes. We have been being told to expect the "big" one for years now and its not a question of if, but its a certainty.

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  10. tweet
    https://twitter.com/greeeneyedwhwom/status/331947

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  11. julie G. says

    Power outages from severe thunderstorms or ice storms are really the biggest risks for disaster where I live & we are definitely prepared for them, we've survived a few through the years.

  12. STACEY DEMPSEY says

    for us the biggest worry is earthquakes, we sometimes get flooding , but the most often is we get wicked wind storms
    roswello at hotmail dot com

  13. STACEY DEMPSEY says
  14. For my area I believe the risks to be ice storms, power outages, and flooding.

    info at littlemisskate dot com
    My recent post Quaility Tires that won’t break the bank: Sailun Tires #TrustSailun

  15. The risk for disaster in my home and area (Manitoulin Island) is winter or ice storm, power outages, floods, heat emergencies, forest fires (very common here in the Summer).
    My recent post #4000Party Contest #2: WrapTraps {5 Winners}

  16. Carole Dube says

    Risk in my area is tornadoes! We always have tornado watch or warning in the summer time. Yes we are prepare and have a plan.

  17. Carole Dube says
  18. The risks for my area are power outages and winter storms.
    torlonias at yahoo dot ca

  19. Doris Calvert says

    We are a risk for fires and tornadoes, we are not prepared for the fires but tornadoes we are

  20. Doris Calvert says
  21. I believe the only risk for my area is power outage from storms.
    privyseel at yahoo dot ca

  22. Ice storms and related power outages.
    fesspoire at yahoo dot ca

  23. Teresa Claire says

    My area's risk is fairly low. High winds, thunder/lightening are prone to blackouts and I am always prepared for those emergencies.

  24. Teresa Claire says
  25. Teresa Claire says
  26. Donna L. says

    Our area is at risk for a tornado.

  27. flooding, tornados (especially since we are very close to the edge of the city). My email address is in the form 🙂

  28. STACEY DEMPSEY says
  29. Not sure. Zombie Apocalypse perhaps? 😀

    But seriously though, power outage and flooding are probably the main ones where I live.

  30. SweetPanda says

    The risks in my area would be power outages, flooding and ice storm … I can't think of anything else

  31. SweetPanda says
  32. Francine says

    Although I live in the city, we experience a lot of power outages – I keep my cell charged at all times, keep a full tank of gas, and have an emergency kit stocked with batteries, flashlights, and candles, among other things.

  33. Francine says
  34. shared – https://twitter.com/Vesper1931/status/33215617501

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

  35. Water flooding is a concern where I live

  36. https://twitter.com/greeeneyedwhwom/status/332213

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  37. Risk in my area is severe thunderstorms/tornadoes, power outages….we try to be prepared but I am sure we could still do a bit more

  38. stephy905 says

    The risks for disaster in my neighborhood are tornadoes. None have happened on my street yet and I pray it never will.

    stephy905@hotmail.com

  39. stephy905 says
  40. Karry Knisley says

    Ice Storms and Flooding are risks in my area

  41. The risks in my area are ice storm, power outages, flooding, house/grass fires.
    We have medical supplies and canned foods on hand but definitely need more emergency supplies.
    My recent post Hilton Garden Inn Dayton South-Austin Landing

  42. The risks for disaster in my area include Tornadoes and flooding!

  43. Heidi C. says
  44. we are at risk for thunderstorms and winter storms probably tornadoes too but have not had one in years and of course floods and fire is always a concern anywhere i got my 72 hr kit and an emergency binder just in case
    My recent post freebie monday

  45. CARIANNE says

    Yes, NAtural DIsasters IN My ARea NORTHERN ONTARIO WOULD PROB BE FOREST FIRES, AND ONE WAY WE GET PREPARED IS MAKING A FIRE LINE AORUND OUR HOUSE AND EVACUATING TO A NEAR BY TOWN. anD YEAH i USED TO FIGHT FIRE TOO WHEN I WAS 18 YRS OLD, SO HAPPPY MY 21 YR OLD SON NOW DOES TOO!!!

  46. Francine says
  47. mommakoala says

    We are prone to heavy rains. Although we live in a fault, we have the odd earthquake tremour, but nothing substantial.

  48. mommakoala says
  49. shared on 9th May – https://twitter.com/Vesper1931/status/33250369335

    meikleblog at gmail dot com

  50. angela m says

    We are at risks for hurricanes and power outages in our area.
    thanks

  51. angela m says
  52. Kristi Renout says

    One of the risks in our area is flooding. We actually lost thousands of dollars worth of stuff last year because of it.

  53. http://pinterest.com/pin/119908408801402040/

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  54. The risk in our area is forest fires, we have seen some serious devastation here due to forest fires.
    Thank you!
    Dawn
    My recent post Recipe Recap #15

  55. Heidi C. says
  56. mommakoala says
  57. Francine says
  58. SweetPanda says
  59. earthquakes are a risk for us

  60. https://twitter.com/greeeneyedwhwom/status/332942

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  61. Christine D says

    The main risks here seem to be spring flooding, winter storms, and tornadoes.

  62. Earthquake is a city risk factor 🙁 Neighbourhood is problematic for high winds since we have lots of tall trees along roadside and amongst several of our homes…

  63. https://twitter.com/toothfairycyber/status/333056… tweet
    ladybugcda (at) hotmail (dot) com

  64. Tweeted http://bit.ly/12neKsu

    …shazowie…lol…

  65. mommakoala says
  66. Florence Cochrane says

    Lots of risk factors in my area. Ice storms, wind storms. Already had a bad flooding problems a coule of years ago which caused a lot of damaged to the basement.

  67. Francine says
  68. Victoria Ess says

    I don't know what they would be — maybe just power outages?

  69. Victoria Ess says
  70. Angela Mitchell says

    Living on the water on the West Coast — the biggest risks are earthquakes, tsunamis and really bad storms.

  71. Angela Mitchell says
  72. https://twitter.com/greeeneyedwhwom/status/333315

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  73. The biggest risks for disaster in our neighbourhood are earthquakes and flooding.

  74. The risks in my neighbourhood are Winter Storms, Lightning, Basement Flooding, and Tornadoes.

    thehappycouple at rogers dot com

  75. Risks in my area are winter storms, power outages, flooding, and tornadoes

  76. Tara Crawford says

    I believe the power outage by storms
    luvablecanadian at hotmail dot com

  77. Tara Gauthier says

    Risks in our area would be power outages due to storms. We sometimes feel aftershocks form Earthquakes.

  78. Tara Gauthier says
  79. The biggest risk in my area is an earthquake.

  80. Francine says
  81. Victoria Ess says
  82. mommakoala says
  83. https://twitter.com/greeeneyedwhwom/status/333695

    nancyrobster at gmail dot com

  84. The biggest risks in our area is earthquakes and fire.

  85. nomnombearinyvr says

    tweeted https://twitter.com/nomnombearinyvr/status/334329

    nomnombearinyvr at hotmail dot com

  86. Carole Dube says

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