Emergencies can happen at any time, preparation is key

Emergencies can occur at any time, that's why it's important to be prepared. Last week was proclaimed as Emergency Preparedness Week in the province of Saskatchewan from May 7th to 13th. 

Jamie Markowsky, the Manager of Public Education Programs for Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA), said that living in Saskatchewan, it could be hot one day and storming the next.

"You never know what's going to happen, so you want to have a plan in place that will help you and your family know what to do in case of these emergencies."

Markowksy said that it's important to know your risks. Having an emergency kit for your vehicle is important, he said. "If you're in a forested area, plan accordingly for a wild fire, if you're at a lower area where there's a threat of flooding, plan accordingly for that."

In the Southeast, power outages are very relevant, he said. "As well, plan a fire escape from your house, and check your smoke alarms. Those are generic for everywhere, but definitely relevant for the Weyburn area." 

Markowsky said that it's important to plan ahead because you never know what to expect, and all of a sudden if an emergency happens, you might grab something that isn't really helpful at all. 

Photo courtesy of Jamie Markowsky, Public Education Program Manager with the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency.

"By preparing for this plan beforehand, you can better prepare yourself for when an emergency happens. Always have it ready to go in a bag and check it regularly."

You want to be practicing your emergency plan, your escape plan, Markowsky said, by going over it every couple of months. "If you have somebody new, let's say that's staying over for the holidays, review your plan with them. That's something that you want to always update and practice and make sure everybody knows how to do it properly." 

Markowsky added that when you're building a plan, ensure that it reflects anyone with disabilities in your life, as well as including your pets. 

"If you do have to evacuate somewhere and you don't have any pet food or litter or anything like that, and who knows when or if you'll be able to pick some up, just make sure your kit reflects everyone in your household."

On the SPSA website, Markowsky said there is an emergency plan available for download. "It's available for download for anybody to use and on it will be lots of valuable information that you could fill in and there will be things to include in a 72 hour emergency kit, or there's places where you can fill in the nearest fire hall, police station, or hospital."