We may think we live far removed from the disasters we see on the television news such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tornadoes, but disaster could hit Yorkton and families should be prepared in case they ever do.
That is why the City of Yorkton held a public information meeting in Emergency Preparedness last Tuesday at the Godfrey Dean Cultural Centre, a meeting where no one attended.
Deputy Fire Chief Trevor Morrissey said disasters can include major power outages in winter, blizzards, or severe thunderstorms with high winds and flooding.
"Disasters are things we're really not prepared for," he said.
As an example, Morrissey said if the power did go out for an extended period, would people have water, since we all assume it will be there at the tap when we need it.
"One of the biggest fears is what if the water goes out," he said.
A power outage in winter can also impact the heat in the home, or, the ability to buy gas to drive to another community where the power is still on.
Morrissey said in an increasingly cashless society how does one buy anything if debit machines are offline?
Morrissey said the lack of interest was disappointing because its important individuals are prepared to deal with disasters if they do occur,
"Emergency preparedness for any family is an important part of our City-wide Emergency Plan," he said.
Morrissey said if a major disaster were to hit the city, there are limited emergency services staff to deal with, perhaps 100 including City crews, and their initial priorities would be the hospital, seniors' home, and dealing with those who cannot help themselves. That means families need to be prepared to look after themselves at least through the early stages of a disaster.
"Our first assumption is the people that can help themselves, will help themselves," he said, adding if a disaster was major, " we would be looking to them to help us with the elderly and the sick
"We'd look at the city to come together to help each other as a community."
In terms of 小蓝视频 prepared, knowledge of what to do is the key said Harry Kerr, Assistant Parks and Arena Manager with the City.
"The more knowledge they have to what can be done the better prepared they can be," he said.Morrissey said preparation certainly eases fears when something does happen.
"The less prepared you are, the higher the risk of something becoming a disaster," he said.
Your emergency supplies kit should be prepared in advance and contain the following as a minimum: An extra set of car keys and house keys First-Aid kit Blankets or sleeping bags Special items for infants, elderly or disabled family members Special medications necessary for a period of at least one week Copies of prescriptions and extra eyeglasses Battery powered radio and extra batteries Flashlight and extra batteries Bottled water sufficient for at least three day. Two to four litres per person, per day - two for drinking and two for food preparation, hygiene and dishwashing A three-day supply of non-perishable or canned food and a manual can-opener Flares and emergency road kit (in your vehicle) Toys and games for any children in tour care Sewing kit Candles and a supply of matches and/or cigarette lighter Utensils (knives, forks, pots, etc) Paper plates and paper towels Resealable plastic bags Plastic garbage bags to store waste Sanitation supplies (soap, paper towels, toilet paper, tissues, pre-moistened towelettes, waste containers, feminine hygiene products, etc)
Emergency checklist:
Discuss with your family and friends how to respond to disaster situations Draw a floor plan of your home - Mark two escape routes Learn how to turn off water, gas and electricity at your location Teach children how and when to use emergency telephone numbers (9-1-1) for help Pick one out-of-area and one local family member or friend to call if you get separated when you evacuate Pick a place and an alternate outside your home to meet in case of fire Keep family records and other important papers in a waterproof and fireproof container Make arrangements for pets if you leave or evacuate Let others know when you leave, where you are going and when you expect to arrive
