Disasters in British Columbia are not uncommon. The province lies between active borders of two tectonic plates, making British Columbia—southwestern B.C. specifically, Haida Gwaii including Lower Mainland, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island—one of the highest earthquake risks in Canada. There are thousands of small earthquakes recorded in the region every year!
An emergency kit will be incredibly useful in times of evacuation. Following are a few guidelines on things to store in an emergency kit for your family and why you need them:
1. Make a Checklist:
Before putting together an emergency kit, make a concise list of all the essential items you might need. This will help you keep limited but important supplies in the kit. Brainstorm for items your family cannot survive without and add those in your list. Ask and consider needs of each of your family members. Here’s a checklist:
- Water (a gallon per member per day (14 days’ supply for home, minimum of 3 days’ supply when for evacuation)
- Food: items that can be easily prepared (14 days’ supply for home, minimum of 3 days’ supply when for evacuation)
- A battery-powered radio machine
- Supply of batteries
- Cash
- Map of your area
- Blanket
- Other medical equipment (glasses, hearing aids, etc.)
- Supplies for baby (food, diapers, etc.)
- Entertainment for children
- Car and house key
- Photocopies of identification documents
- List of emergency and family’s contact details
- Torch
- First aid kit
- Medicines (minimum supply of a week)
- Items for personal hygiene
- Clothes/shoes
Avoid carrying extra weight. It will only restrict your movement.
2. First Aid Kit:
Put together a first aid kit. You never know what turn an already chaotic situation might take and if you’ll be able to receive medical attention. An emergency first aid kit might be able to do wonders in the time of need. Make sure you’re skilled in basic and emergency first aid training! Following is how you can prepare one:
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3. Be Mindful of Any Disabled Family Members:
It’s important to cater to the needs of people with disabilities. They’ll require extra care and attention during an emergency situation. Keep things of their usage—the medication they require, tools to help them navigate and function; ask them what they need on a daily basis.
After you’re done with the kit, you should also place a list of things in the box, identifying the location of each item. The rest of the family should also be aware of how to navigate through the kit.
Teaching your kids to use first aid will be very helpful. Additionally, you should learn about safety tips for elderly adults to protect them during an emergency.
Sign up for our emergency first aid training with CPR/AED Level C offered in Coquitlam, Delta, Surrey, Richmond and Vancouver.
