Emergency Preparedness

• Know the hazards that could occur in your area.
• Make an emergency plan – This is how your household will respond to disasters. This way everyone knows what to do in an emergency or disaster.
  • Make a phone list of family and emergency numbers and ensure everyone has a copy. You may not be able to rely on your phone or the internet to look up numbers in an emergency.
  • Know where to get information about an emergency and/or evacuation.
    • Sign up for the Cariboo Regional District Emergency Alert System
    • Download the BC Wildfire Service App
  • Make a Grab-and-Go Bag – Everyone’s needs will be different, but the below list is a good place to start:
    • Medications, glasses or contact lenses
    • Bottled water – It may not be safe to drink tap or well water during a flood as you may not know if water has been contaminated by sewage or other debris.
    • Ready-to-eat food, like granola bars
    • First aid kit
    • Toothpaste, toothbrush and other toiletries
    • Seasonal clothing
    • Seasonal items – hats/sunscreen in summer months, jacket/blanket in winter months, etc.
    • Phone charger
    • Battery bank
    • Cash in small bills
    • Copies of important documents – IDs, insurance papers, wills, etc.
  • While making your emergency plans and packing Grab-and-Go Bags, consider special needs in your household – children, elderly, people with mobility limitations, special medical needs, pets, and livestock.

• Check with your insurance company to see if your home is covered for fire/wildfire or, if you’re renting, check that you have renters’ insurance to protect your belongings.
• Protect your home and property (using FireSmart principles, focusing on making changes in the “Home Ignition Zones”):
  • “Non-Combustible Zone” (0 to 1.5m from your house/other structures)
    • Remove combustible material (like woody shrubs, dry grass, wood)
    • Use non-combustible materials around your home (like gravel, brick)
    • Clear leaves and other greenery from gutters, decks and balconies
    • Clean under decks and stairs and remove any combustible materials
  • “Priority Zone 1” (1.5 to 10m from your house/other structures)
    • Avoid planting flammable trees and plants (like cedar, juniper, pine and tall grasses)
    • Keep lawns well-watered and mowed
    • Move firewood piles, construction materials at least 10m from the home
  • “Priority Zone 2” (10 to 30m from your house/other structures)
    • Try to ensure there are 3m between trees
    • Remove small coniferous or evergreen trees that can act as a “ladder” for fire to reach treetops
    • Prune branches within 2m of the ground to help stop surface fires from moving to treetops
    • Clean up fallen branches, dry grass and needles to eliminate potential fire fuels
  • “Priority Zone 3” (30 to 100m from your house/other structures)
    • Thin and prune coniferous or evergreen trees to reduce excess vegetation and branches
    • Look for opportunities to create a fire break in this zone by creating larger spaces between trees
  • Make an emergency plan – This is how your household will respond to disasters. This way everyone knows what to do in an emergency or disaster.
  • Make a Grab-and-Go Bag – Everyone’s needs will be different, but the below list is a good place to start:
    • Bottled water – It may not be safe to drink tap or well water during a flood as you may not know if water has been contaminated by sewage or other debris.
    • Ready-to-eat food, like granola bars
    • First aid kit
    • Toothpaste, toothbrush and other toiletries
    • Seasonal clothing
    • Seasonal items – hats/sunscreen in summer months, jacket/blanket in winter months, etc.
    • Phone charger
    • Battery bank
    • Cash in small bills
    • Medications, glasses or contact lenses
    • Copies of important documents – IDs, insurance papers, wills, etc.
  • Understand evacuation stages, their meanings and what to do:
    • “Evacuation Alert” – Be ready to leave on short notice.
      • Things you can do if you are under Evacuation Alert for wildfire:
        • Gather your grab-and-go bags, your emergency plan, copies of important documents and cherished mementos (photo albums, etc.).
        • Ensure your vehicle has fuel.
        • Move patio furniture, cushions or door mats (all combustible items) indoors.
        • Take down any flammable curtains and window treatments.
        • Connect garden hoses and fill large containers with water (like pools, hot tubs, garbage cans). This can assist firefighters to slow advancing flames with readily available water.
      • “Evacuation Order” – You are at risk. Leave immediately.
        • On your way out of the house, close doors and windows and turn on interior and exterior lights so your home is visible to firefighters even in heavy smoke.
        • Follow directions from officials and emergency personnel and follow identified evacuation routes.

• Check with your insurance company to see if your home is covered for various types of flooding or, if you’re renting, check that you have renters’ insurance to protect your belongings.
• Protect your home and property:
  • Store valuables and important items or documents in water-tight containers and/or in higher places, like on a tall shelf or upper floor.
  • Clean your gutter regularly to allow for water to drain off the roof properly during heavy rainstorms.
  • Keep nearby storm drains clear of debris.
  • In the winter, clear snow at least 3-5 feet away from your home’s foundation.
  • If possible, keep expensive appliances and other items raised off the flood (i.e., mount your tv to the wall, raise your washer and dryer off the flood especially if they are in the basement or lower level of the house).
• Make an emergency plan – This is how your household will respond to disasters. This way everyone knows what to do in an emergency or disaster.
• Make a Grab-and-Go Bag – Everyone’s needs will be different, but the below list is a good place to start:
  • Bottled water – It may not be safe to drink tap or well water during a flood as you may not know if water has been contaminated by sewage or other debris.
  • Ready-to-eat food, like granola bars
  • First aid kit
  • Toothpaste, toothbrush and other toiletries
  • Seasonal clothing
  • Seasonal items – hats/sunscreen in summer months, jacket/blanket in winter months, etc.
  • Phone charger
  • Battery bank
  • Cash in small bills
  • Medications, glasses or contact lenses
  • Copies of important documents – IDs, insurance papers, wills, etc.

Tip: Food, water, batteries, and medications may expire over time. It’s always a good idea to check your bag and use/replace contents that could expire. A good way to remember is to do this when clocks spring forward and fall back.

• Understand different flood advisories and warnings that may come from the River Forecast Centre or weather channels:
  • “High Streamflow Advisory” – River levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but no major flooding is expected. Minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible.
  • “Flood Watch” – River levels are rising and will approach or may exceed the riverbank. Flooding areas adjacent to affected rivers may occur.
  • “Flood Warning” – River levels have exceeded the riverbank or will exceed the riverbank imminently, and flooding of areas adjacent to affected rivers will result.
• Understand the evacuation stages:
  • “Evacuation Alert” – Be ready to leave on short notice.
    • Things you can do if you are under an Evacuation Alert for flooding:
      • Gather your grab-and-go bags, your emergency plan, copies of important documents and cherished mementos (photo albums, etc.).
      • Remove toxic substances like pesticides from the flood area to prevent water pollution.
      • Try to park vehicles away from waterways, if possible.
      • Do NOT attempt to shut off electricity or unplug electronics/appliances if any water is already present.
      • Use sandbags to block floor drains and toilets to prevent sewage back-up.
    • “Evacuation Order” – You are at risk. Leave immediately. Follow directions from officials and emergency personnel and evacuate using route(s) they’ve identified.
      • Safety advice to keep in mind:
        • Do not attempt to cross rivers or flowing water streams.
        • Do not drive or walk across flooded roads (15cm of rushing water can knock an adult off their feet, 30cm of rushing water can sweep away a vehicle).
        • If your car begins to flood, abandon it quickly and head for higher ground.

Preparing for extreme heat

• Identify people close to you who are at-risk if they do not have access to air conditioning – These people may need support during extreme heat.
  • Seniors, people who live alone, people with pre-existing health conditions (diabetes, heart disease or respiratory diseases), people with mental illness, people who are pregnant, people who work in hot environments, people with limited mobility, infants and young children, etc.
• Make a plan for extreme heat
  • Can you stay at home? If you live in a building or residence that gets very hot, plan to go elsewhere during an extreme heat emergency.
  • What are your home’s cool zones? You should try to stay in the coolest part of your residence and focus on keeping that one location cool. Typically, this might be a lower level or basement area of the home.
  • Identify cooling spaces and centres in your community that you can visit to get cool (libraries, community centres, shopping malls, movie theaters, religious centres, shaded green spaces, etc.).
• Prepare your home
  • If possible, install a window air conditioner in at least one room.
  • Install thermal curtains or window coverings.
  • Keep a thermometer available to monitor the temperature in your home (above 31 degrees is dangerous for vulnerable people).
  • Have fans available to help move cooler air indoors during the late evening and early morning hours.
  • Install exterior covers that block the sun from hitting the windows in your home. This can be as simple as applying cardboard to the outside of the windows.
• Monitor the media, Environment Canada and your health authority for updates on temperature conditions and understand heat alert levels.
  • “Heat Warning” – Daytime and overnight temperatures are higher than seasonal norms and holding steady. Take the usual steps to stay cool.
  • “Extreme Heat Emergency” – Daytime and overnight temperatures are higher than seasonal norms and getting hotter every day. Activate your emergency plan.