Living in Canada we have every extreme weather situation you can imagine depending on where you live. Earthquakes, Tornadoes, ice-storms, fires and of course snow storms. Even when the weather is great there are situations that could arise that many are not prepared for. Power outages are one that many do not realize the impact of until it happens. We often forget how much we rely on electricity day to day. Heat, hot water, pumping wells, running your fridge, freezer, lights etc. With the warmer weather coming we need to worry about fires and thunderstorms across Canada. Watching the weather to know what to expect is always a good idea. Having emergency contacts posted for all to easily find is also important. It is extremely important to have an Emergency Preparedness Kit.
A few years back we were in the middle of a cold Canadian winter when a storm knocked out our power for over 2 weeks. A large rural area with trees down everywhere caused a lot of issues. With no power the gas stations could not pump gas, our water could not come up from the well without the pump working (living rural), and our furnace was not working. When large power outages happen the priority is the city as that is where the majority of the people are. Then they work their way out to those who live in the country to restore power. First they had to remove the trees that were down then fix the lines to restore power. Luckily for us we had a generator and some fuel that ran a space heater in our home as well as a light and our fridge. Many of our neighbours were not so lucky and they lost food and had to find other places to stay.
WEATHER ALERT: A severe storm is headed your way. Stock up on Duracell and other essentials in case you lose power.https://t.co/7IF42Fp52O
— Duracell (@Duracell) April 25, 2016
Now, I am always prepared for emergencies. I urge you all to have an emergency kit in your home for your family as well as one in your car. With weather happening so fast you could be in your car and stranded when an emergency hits.
Do you know what to do in an emergency situation like a situation like a fire, earthquake, flood or ice storm? If stuck at home with your family, would you be able to make it 72 hours until help arrives? It may seem like a hypothetical situation, but considering Canada was dealt 6,235 forest fires and 169 earthquakes in 2015, I can assure you it’s not!
People who are prepared to sustain themselves for at least 72 hours after a disaster make it easier for first responders to help those who urgently need it – and this has a significant impact not only on their own survival, but the survival of friends and neighbours.
Emergency Preparedness Week
May 1-7, 2016
Duracell and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC) have teamed up to remind Canadians that everyone needs to be prepared in an emergency. According to a survey conducted by Duracell in partnership with the CAFC, even though 34% Canadians feel they have experienced more storms and natural disasters in the past five years than ever before, the majority (53%) of Canadians do not have an emergency kit to sustain them up to 72 hours after a disaster strikes.
Emergency Preparedness Checklist
Make sure you are ready with these tips
Build a kit
Focus on the essentials-the things you need every day-and stock your kit with enough of those things to get you through 72 hours.
Prepare 2 kits
1 kit for your family and one kit for your pets if you have them
Check your kits on a regular basis to make sure nothing has expired
Make a Plan
In the chaos of disaster, a thorough plan of action can make all the difference. When creating your emergency strategy consider these things:
- Draft an evacuation route
- Designate a set meeting spot
- Create a contact list
- Store your contact list and ready kit
- Know school and employer emergency plans
Be informed
Stay informed about what kinds of disaster may affect your region. Be aware of your local emergency contacts and news outlets. This way you will have up-to-date information in case of evacuation and other plans.
Talk with your family about your plans and where your kits is. Nobody wants to have to be in an emergency situation, but when you plan ahead , you can get through it.
When you are prepared for an emergency you can focus on what is important at the time and get through the situation a bit easier until it passes or help arrives.
Do you have an emergency kit Have you ever had to use it?
I have a great prize for one lucky Canadian reader. Duracell wants you to be prepared for what nature may send you way with a $200 emergency preparedness kit. The kit contains the following
– Duracell Quantum batteries
– Flashlights
– Radio
– First aid kit
– Multi tool
– Can opener
– Dust mask
– Duct tape
– Emergency blanket
– Whistle
Enter on the form below for your chance. Good luck!
I would like to win this so that I can restock our emergency kit. 🙂
I think its something we all should have and honestly i don’t have one, so this would be nice
I don’t have a proper emergency kit. winning this would be great!
I’d love to win this because no matter how prepared I think I am I’m really not.
I have not put together an emergency kit and this prize would be perfect way to start one.
I want to win because I am so unprepared! This would get us well on its way!
I would love to win because I could use the prepareness pack for the trailer or provide it to my parents (seniors) to make sure they are prepared.
I would love to win this as I have no emergency kit and this one is so great
I would love to win this so I can be more prepared for any unfortunate events!!
I would like to win because this kit would make me feel prepared for whatever my future may hold. Life is very unpredictable.
I don’t have an emergency kit so this would be the perfect prize for me to win, thanks so much for the chance. 🙂
I’d love this because we live on a couple of major earthquake fault lines!
I’d like to win this because we don’t have an emergency kit put together yet. It’s one of those things we always mean to get around to doing, but haven’t yet.
I’d love this because we don’t have a kit in our home and we really should.
I want to win this kit so I don’t get caught without something I need in an emergency.
I have all kinds of lists of what I should have in an emergency kit, but have never gotten around to actually putting one together. Winning this would be a great start.
During the icestorm we were out of power for 2 days, I could have used this.
I do not have a n emergency kit and I think it’s about time I do lol
I would love to win this as we are in the process of creating an emergency kit! After a recent ice storm, we were without power for almost 70 hours, so we now understand why this is so important!
I would love to win this so I could be more prepared for any unfortunate events!
I would love to win this because we have one in our home but we should really also have one in our vehicle. You never know when you are going to need it. Thanks for the opportunity.
I already have an emergency kit, but I would like to win one for my son.
I helped a friend make one after an earthquake in Vancouver but because nothing ever seems to happen here in NS I never thought to make one. SO this would be a help!
M
I would love to win this for my daughter. She has to travel by herself to do jobs from work!
I have three little girls that come with me everywhere and a husband who drives quite a distance for work. While we would probably end up arguing over who gets this, the fact is this emergency kit would be a great addition to either one of our vehicles, ensuring those I love most will be safe in many different types of emergencies. Thank you for the chance!
I would like o win this because I don’t have anything like this.
I would like to feel prepared for an emergency
We live in earthquake territory, would be great to have a ready made kit, you never know when disaster will strike!
Would love this since I don’t have an emergency kit.
I would LOVE to win this terrific prize to ensure our family is prepared in case of an emergency.
I’d love to win this so I would feel prepared if there was an emergency. Hopefully I would never have to use it!
I want to win this as I’ve never really thought of having an emergency kit. We often have power outages here, so we have tons of candles on hand as well as wooden matches, but nothing as extreme as the lists you’ve posted. I have a kit in my vehicle but I try not to drive in the winter time if the weather is sever (I;m a big chicken that way)
I don’t have an emergency kit, this would be a good start to one.
I’d love to win this because my emergency kit feels inadequate compared to this one. I live on the west coast where we’ve been warned about “the big one” so a well equipped or even an extra emergency kit would be great to have on hand.
I need to start an emergency kit!
I don’t have an emergency prep kit in my house, I only have one in my car.
This is a terrific Emergency Preparedness kit that we could take with us camping then we’re prepared home and away.
I would like to win this because I don’t have an emergency kit.
I would like to win because I don’t have an emergency kit
Would love to win because we don’t have a kit right now and this would be a great start to one.
I would love to win this as I am not prepared at all and would love to have an emergency kit!
I want to win this so we are prepared, just in case
This would be a great win as I do not have any kits made up at all, and this would be a great start to get prepared!!
In all honesty, I do not have a kit – ashamed to admit it. Guess its’ time to put one together.
Always best to be ready for an emergency and am ashamed to say I am not ready … would love to win this for ease of mind just in case …..
I’ve yet to put a kit together..I keep putting it off this would be great to win because I know that the kit will be done and I will be prepared
I would like to win because this kit would make me feel prepared and I would have everything I need all in one spot.
Because i don’t have any of this stuff and i should
Simple – I don’t have any of it except for food and water.
I’d love to win this for my mom’s place!
I’d like to win because I should be a good role model for my kids having this stuff on hand in case of emergency. So many of us have a lot of these items, but they are not “together” in a handy kit used solely for emergency situations.
I would like to win because I do not own a kit like this
I’d love to win because a well stocked emergency preparedness kit is so important and mine really needs some restocking!
I would love to win one for our RV that is where we are lacking and should be better equipped.
I would like to win so we can get started on some emergency kit items. We keep thinking we need one at the back of our minds but it’s never high on our priority for things to do
I would like to win because this kit would make me feel good to be ready for an
emergency and to know I have some smart tools and equipment to help my family get through it.
We get alot of bad weather here In Northern Ontario. Tornado`s have come very close to our home
i’ve always meant to have a kit prepared for emergencies so this would be amazing to have
i would love to win to supplement our kit, it needs some replensihing and updating! Living on the west coast i worry about an earthquake..
We are starting to prepare our house for earthquakes and this kit would be very helpful. We live on the BC coast so the big one is coming any time!
I would like to win because I do not currently own a kit like this and it would be really useful.
I want to win because I am well aware of how important having one is especially vhaving a toddler at home. The problem is trying to find or move around funds to be able to piece one together as a single parent .
I’ve been meaning to put together an emergency kit for just about forever, and this would be a great start! Thank you for the chance.
I would love to win because I live on the west coast of BC – earthquake zone. Need I say more.
My kit could use some new stuff added to it.
We are hardly emergency prepared at all. We have little bits n pieces here and there. We need to get our act together.
I’d like to win this because it would be important to have around.
I would like to win this as our house does not yet have one.
I would love to win this because there are so many disasters recently that this could really come in handy. We have a tons of evacuations due to wildfires already this year in Alberta.
~Jonnie
I would like to win because I need an emergency preparedness kit.
I’m not fully prepared for an emergency but with this kit I’d be.
I haven’t given this much thought but I realize that I should be prepared.
I would like my daughter to have this so her family is prepared for emergencies
I want to win so that I will have the recommended items for an emergency.
I keep meaning to build an emergency kit, but always end up putting it off. This would be great to have
I would love to win it because I don’t have a emergency kit.
So that I’m ready for an emergency situation……to help keep our family prepared!
This is a wonderful kit . I have been meaning to put one together for a long time. This would get me on the right track.
I think this would be great for all emergencies and would keep it close .
I have some of the items but they are stored in lots of different places , would be nice to have a real emergency kit, everything needed all in one place
I’d love to win this because we haven’t got a fully assembledkit and this would give us peace of mind
I would like to win because we do a lot of camping and I think this would be a perfect kit for that. 🙂
I’d love to win this awesome prize……everyone need am emergency kit!
We need a good emergency kit!
I would love to win this because I know I will never think to buy these items and make a kit. I will also steal the batteries for my son’s toys! Having a nice kit would be a great way to keep everything in one place, and be prepared!
Yet another person here that doesn’t even have one started!
I think this would be so useful in cases of fire or even power outage. I know it would be good for my family.
We need to refresh our emergency kit after the weather!
I set up a small emergency kit after Vancouver had a little earthquake a few months ago. It has minimal items and is nothing like the kit you mention in this post. I’d love to have a full, complete one for me and my family!
I would love to win this as I have no emergency kit .
This kit would be perfect to help get prepared!
I would love to win this for my truck . My hubby , 3 little ones and I are always on the go and have a preparedness kit would be a great ease of mind in our travels
I want to win because it will be a great to have this all in one pack so that if some urgent things came up, even I am freak out, I know where to search for things
never hurts to be prepared! (wobbles13)
I would like to win this so my daughter and I would be prepared if a disaster happens!
I keep hearing how important this is and so that’s why I would love to win for myself and my 3 boys
I would love to win because I don’t currently feel fully prepared for an Emergency. This is a great Kit.
I thought I was pretty prepared for emergency until I read this list and I can see I need more things than I have. This kit would help us in case of emergency.
this would be super helpful as we need to get stuff organized in terms of emergency preparedness at our house.
I would love to win because I don’t have a kit like this and this would be wonderful
I’d like to win because I am not as prepared as I thought I was. I have some items but could use these items to add to a kit.
I want to win because I don’t have a emergency kit and this would help me to feel prepared.
I do not have an emergency preparedness kit and would love to have one.
I’d like to win because even though we have most of the things on the list we are using them or they are scattered around the house in different spots. If we had a kit it would be a lot easier to collect the rest of the items needed & to find a spot where they are all stored together.
I want to win this because if I go out and buy all of this on my own, I will just start using it. If it’s in a kit, I can keep it sealed, put it in a closet and only use it if there is an emergency!
I would love to win this pack as it is would be great to be prepared in case of an emergency.
I would love to win to be prepared ! And teach my children the importnace of being 1 step ahead !
I would love to win because I am so not prepared in the event of an emergency
I would love to win this so I can be prepared in an emergency, which I am not at the moment.
I’ve been planning to put together an emergency kit but haven’t got to it – this would be perfect!
I would like to win this because apparently, I am not prepared.
I would so love to have this as I used to have most of this stuff and it disappeared for some reason. My son is so good with preparedness and with having kids it is very important to have these items
I’d like to win because I am not prepared!
I live in BC and felt an earthquake a few months ago… no damage – but sure made my heart pound!!!!!! It helps to feel prepared.
My city was badly flooded a few years ago and I don’t want to be caught without an emergency kit again!
I’d like to win so I can feel safer and more secure. I live in SK, so there is always the threats of flooding, fires, and tornadoes in summer….and freezing, burst pipes, and no heat in winter. I’ve never really been prepared for these things, and I’d like to be.
I would like to win so I could have the proper emergency prepared kit.
I would love to win this because I have no emergency kit
I’d love to win because I currently do not have an emergency kit and would love to have one just incase anything were to ever happen.
I would love to win because I don’t have an emergency kit at home and this sounds very handy.
I have an emergency kit but it is missing some of the items that are offered in this kit – plus we spend weekends up north, so I really want to have two kits.
I would love this because its important to have those items in a emergency kit.
Our cottage could really use the items they have listed and included!
even though we live in a high risk area we still have no plan and no kit
We should have one, and I have not done it yet. However, reading articles like this inspire me to get moving. I should do it this weekend!
I’d like to win as I don’t have most of these things.
We dont have an emergency kit yet so I’d love to win!
i would like to win so i can finish off my kit! it is not complete.
I’d like to win because the way the world is going we don’t know what these animals would do to hurt us and it would be nice to be prepared
I would love to win this kit because I don’t have an emergency kit done up yet and this would really help get me going.
With the fires in Alberta right now I realize we are ready for absolutely nothing and we really need to be
i don’t actually have one in my condo – probably something I need!
I would love to win to help keep my family prepared for any unexpected emergencies. There are many things I have ready… but so many I have never even considered. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
It always helps to be prepared
I love to be prepared , this would be a great updated kit
It’s better to be prepare than never
I would like to win this because I haven’t yet had time or money to make a kit of my own.
This would be very helpful to have around the house!
I would love to win this so I could add to the items I already have and make a kit for my car as well!
THOSE wild fires in Alberta are scary, and I hope everyones safe!! SO many people offering up land for people to park campers and stay PLUS I’ve seen some vet posts being open to help animals as well
This would keep us prepared for emergency
I would love to win this to give to my dad on fathers day!!
I would love to win because I dont have an emergency kit and need one
I’d like to win because my emergency kit needs an update.
With my wife and I, 2 young children and a 90 year old mother in law, living in an earthquake zone is an added danger.
I could use some spare batteries.
Because this sounds like a great kit to have around! I like to be prepared but I am afraid I am not this prepared, this would be super!
An emergency kit is something all households should have. Good reminder.
That power outage years back, that left half the country in the dark really got me thinking.
Since then I always have frozen water in the fridge, a full pantry, windup Radio/flashlight… But I don’t yet have:
– First aid kit
– Multi tool
– Dust mask
– Duct tape
– Emergency blanket
– Whistle
I didn’t have a battery or windup radio at all during that outage and I didn’t even have a cellphone or flashlight back then, so I was literally and figuratively in the dark about what was happening.
Uh, what happened to my comment?
Sometimes the site automatically holds them for manual approval
Our emergency kit could do with an update/restock
I think everyone should have one, but sadly most people don’t have one.
I want to win because you never know when you will run into an emergency and I want to be prepared!
I would like to win this because we don’t have a complete safety kit in our vehicle and sometimes we run into bad weather where we should be prepared.
I would love to win because we currently don’t have one:(
His would be great for in the car or when we go camping
I don’t have a proper emergency kit, so I would love to win this one. Being prepared is important and this would be a great help.
I would love to win this as I have no emergency kit . Thanks
I would like to win this because you never know what can happen in an instance and I don’t have a emergency kit
I would love to win this as the current wildfire situation in Ft. McMurray has made us realize just how unprepared my family is should something happen in our own community.
You can never be over prepared. Things happen when you least expect it.
I hate to admit but I dont’ have a kit at all so this would be perfect (Suzi)