Emergency Preparedness Week 2025
May 4–10 | Theme: “Plan for Every Season”
Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere — with little warning. Emergency Preparedness Week is a national campaign designed to help residents understand the importance of being ready and how simple steps can make a big difference in keeping yourself, your loved ones, and your pets safe.
🔍 What is Emergency Preparedness?
Being prepared means understanding the risks in your area and taking proactive steps to reduce their impact. It includes:
- Making a household emergency plan
- Building a 72-hour emergency kit
- Staying informed and connected during crises
🧭 Start with the Basics:
1. Know the Hazards in Your Area Familiarize yourself with local threats such as:
- Flooding
- Winter storms
- Heat Waves
- Power outages
- Tornadoes
Visit ontario.ca/BePrepared to learn how to respond to each of these emergencies.
2. Make a Household Emergency Plan
- Identify safe exits and meeting places.
- Assign an emergency contact person (preferably outside your community).
- Include pets in your evacuation and shelter-in-place plans.
- Practice your plan yearly.
3. Prepare an Emergency Kit Have a kit ready at home, work, and in your car. Kits should include:
- Water (4L per person per day)
- Non-perishable food and can opener
- Medications and first aid supplies
- Flashlight, batteries, radio, and cellphone charger
- Cash in small bills
- ID, keys, PPE, and comfort items
- Supplies for children, pets, or individuals with special needs
🦴 Don’t forget a pet emergency kit! Visit ontariospca.ca/EP for pet-specific preparedness resources.
📡 Stay Connected
- Forward your landline to your mobile device if evacuating
- Monitor local news, municipal alerts, and AlertReady.ca
- Keep texts and calls short to reduce network congestion
- Conserve phone battery power
