Emergency Preparedness starts with you and your family.
1. Know the risks
Knowing what to do beforehand can reduce the stress of an emergency situation. Emergency incidents that could occur in Coaldale involve, Hazardous Materials release – from rail or road accidents, overland flooding, water pollution or water shortage, tornados, fires, pipelines break, and acts of terrorism. Each of these events could cause an emergency or disaster in our area.
2. Make a plan
Every individual and family should know what to do in an emergency:
- Prepare and family emergency contact list
- Have a meeting place to reunite with family
- Know safe exits from home and neighbourhood
- Have a designated person to pick up children if you are unavailable
- Special health needs
- Place for your pet to stay
- Know the location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical box, gas valve and floor drain
To complete your emergency plan online, visit getprepared.ca Your plan should include both evacuation and shelter in place options.
3. Prepare an emergency kit
In an emergency, you will need some basic supplies. You may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. Make sure your kit is easy to carry and everyone in the household knows where it is. Keep it in a backpack, duffle bag or suitcase with wheels, in an easy-to-reach, accessible place, such as your front-hall closet.
For more information, please go to: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-en.aspx
Remember to check your kit once a year!
4. Make copies of important documents
Make copies of birth and marriage certificates, passports, licences, wills, land deeds and insurance. Take photos of family members in case a lost person’s record is created. Keep them in a safe place, both inside and outside your home. You might want to put them in a safety deposit box or give them to friends and family who live out of town.
5. Learn how to shelter-in-place
Shelter-in-Place means:
- Go indoors and tune your radio or television to a local station, or access your Community’s social media website(s).
- Close all windows, doors and vents.
- Turn off your furnace, air conditioners and exhaust fans.
- Seal a room with duct tape and plastic sheets.
- Prepare for a possible evacuation.
- Continue to listen to the radio, television and/or social media website(s) for further instructions and keep phone lines free.
- Notify absent household members that they are not to approach the area until notified
- UNLESS TOLD TO DO SO BY AUTHORITIES DO NOT EVACUATE OR TRAVEL.
6. Understand how to evacuate
Evacuation Information
Town authorities will not ask you to leave your home unless they have reason to believe that you may be in danger. If a number of homes and businesses are evacuated, authorities will likely establish a Reception Centre. Be sure to register at the Reception Centre even if you are not planning to stay there. Authorities need to track evacuees as closely as possible.
Having a Ready to-Go-Kit is important for a quick evacuation response. If you are ordered to evacuate, take your Ready-to-Go Kit, your wallet, personal identification for each family member and copies of essential family documents with you. Bring a cellular phone and spare battery or charger with you, if you have one.
Use travel routes specified by local authorities. If you have time, call or email your out-of-town contact. Tell them where you are going and when you expect to arrive. Once you are safe, let them know. Tell them if any family members have become separated. If possible, leave a note telling others when you left and where you are.
Make sure all electrical appliances are turned off. Shut off water and electricity if officials tell you to do so. Leave natural gas service on unless officials tell you to turn it off. If you turn off this service, the natural gas company has to reconnect it.
In a major emergency, it could take weeks for a professional to respond. Take pets with you. Lock your home and follow instructions from authorities. Do not return home until authorities advise that it is safe to do so.
Reception Centres
The Town has several locations for reception centres. If you are told to evacuate, please listen to media and social media to find out which reception centre you should report to.
7. Summary
In case of an emergency or disaster:
- Follow your emergency plan
- Get your 72-hour kit
- Make sure you are safe before assisting others
- Listen to the radio, social media or television for information from local officials and follow their instructions
- Stay put until all is safe or until you are ordered to evacuate
If you are ordered to evacuate, take:
- Your 72-hour kit
- Your emergency plan
- Essential medications and copies of prescriptions
- A cell phone and charger
- Your pets – Remember, pets are not allowed in most emergency shelters, so plan ahead for a pet-friendly location