Knowing your risks can mean the difference between life and death.
This week marks Emergency Preparedness Week, with this year’s theme being ‘Be prepared, know your risks’. Officials with the City of Lethbridge and Lethbridge County are sharing tips to make sure you and your family are safe in the event of a disaster.
Some of these include:
- Knowing the risks: Understanding hazards that impact the region is a key component of being prepared. Some risks for the region include wildfires, chemical spills, utility outages, drought and major storms like hail and tornadoes.
- Officials say these incidents could require you to shelter-in-place or evacuate and modify your daily activities.
- Make connections in the community: Getting to know your neighbours can help ensure your home is looked after if you are away, can be useful when evacuating, and neighbours can offer strong support during a disaster.
- Prepare your emergency kit: Essentials for an emergency kit include extra water, non-perishable food and copies of important documents like identification and insurance papers. Other items include medication, first-aid supplies, extra clothes, pet food, baby formula and hygiene products that can last for several days.
Officials add that finances are important to factor into your emergency response plans.
You should make sure your insurance policies are up to date and offer adequate coverage if your home or property is damaged. It is also important to keep extra cash on standby and consider building an emergency fund.
72-HOUR KIT
Jamie Anderson is an emergency planning administrator for the City of Lethbridge.
Alongside fellow administrator Eric Foster, Anderson helps with the creation of emergency response plans, including how the City can help people displaced from their homes.
“If there are people who are displaced from their homes, how are we providing meals and shelter and those types of things to make sure that they are taken care of until they can bridge the gap and be returned to their primary residence,” she notes.
When it comes to personal emergency kits, she says you should ensure you have enough supplies in your kit to last you 72 hours.
“That timeframe bridges the gap between when an event takes place, and typically, we don’t have a ton of notice when something happens,” Anderson remarks.
“So, having a 72-hour kit ready to go bridges the gap between the time of the event and when municipal services or evacuation centres can be ready to support a little more thoroughly. Getting [items like] specialty baby formula or diapers or those types of things in does take time, and if you had those specifics to bridge the gap, it helps.”
She adds that you should think about having enough supplies to last 14 days, if you need to shelter-in-place.
Anderson says emergency response is a team effort, with multiple City departments, including Lethbridge Fire and Emergency Services, working together to formulate plans. She adds that emergencies can happen at any time, not just during specific hazard seasons, so it is vital to be as prepared as possible.
City staff, including Anderson and Foster, will be at various locations this week to discuss emergency planning and safety with the community.
Residents who attend any of the following events can enter a raffle to win a personal 72-hour emergency kit:
- Tuesday, May 6: Downtown Lethbridge Public Library – 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. as part of the Parent Connect Program;
- Wednesday, May 7: Lethbridge Seniors Citizens Organization – 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.;
- Friday, May 9: Nordbridge Seniors Centre – 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
Although City staff and emergency personnel are trained to respond to emergencies, Anderson says residents can help by mitigating disaster risks.
That includes doing something as simple as clearing your front or backyard of dry grass, which can spark a blaze, especially during hotter summer conditions.
REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP
In November 2024, the Regional Emergency Management Partnership was signed. It is an agreement between Lethbridge County, the Village of Barons and Towns of Coalhurst, Nobleford and Picture Butte to boost collaborative emergency preparedness and disaster response between the communities.
READ MORE: New Regional Emergency Management Partnership Agreement signed
In January, Breea Tamminga was named the emergency management coordinator. Tamminga works with the municipalities and leads the collective disaster preparedness and response efforts.
“Taking the time to prepare can make all the difference during an emergency,” she says.
“The more you can set yourself and your household up for success, the better you’ll be able to respond and recover. Being proactive about preparedness is an investment in your safety and our resilience as a community.”
Tamminga also leads free personal preparedness workshops for schools and community groups that are included in the regional partnership. Those interested in booking a workshop can call (403) 328-5525.
Additionally, more resources on emergency preparedness are available at the Government of Alberta website.
ALERT READY
On Wednesday, Alert Ready will test its national emergency alert system.
It notifies Canadians of any disasters or emergency events through a message on their radio, their television and their compatible wireless device. In Alberta, the test will happen at 1:55 p.m. on Wednesday. More information is available at the Alert Ready website.
