“It is a collaborative event undertaken by provincial and territorial emergency management organizations supporting activities at the local level, in concert with Public Safety Canada and partners. Emergency Preparedness Week encourages Canadians to take three simple steps to become better prepared to face a range of emergencies: Know the risks - Make a plan - Get an emergency kit. While governments at all levels are working hard to keep Canada safe, now, more than ever, we understand that we all have a role to play in emergency preparedness.” (getprepared.gc.ca)

Along with following the guidelines for staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can also use the tips at getprepared.gc.ca and insure we have a family plan for natural disasters like flood and fire or power outages.

For younger family members try introducing them to emergency personnel with these titles on Hoopla and Overdrive:

  • Fly Guy Presents: Firefighters by Tedd Arnold - “Fly Guy and Buzz are off on another exciting field trip. This time, they're visiting the fire station! There, they will learn all about firefighters, fire trucks, and fire safety. They'll even get to zoom down the fire pole and try on a firefighter helmet! Come along to learn all about firefighters in this fun nonfiction reader.” 
  • Police and Paramedics by Ruth Daly – "This series introduces young readers to important figures who work hard to keep their communities safe.” 
  • Emergency! by Margaret Mayo – “Fire engines, police cars, ambulances, lifeboats, and tow trucks race to the rescue in this book bursting with action. Emergency? Don't worry--help is on the way!”

If you want to use your time in isolation to improve upon your plan, try a few of the resources Hoopla and Overdrive have to offer:

  • The Pocket First Aid Field Guide by George E. Dvorchak – “Practical advice for the on-the-go outdoorsman, this field-friendly guide is essential for anyone interested in first-aid preparation and care. Here is advice useful on a hike or for any fishing trip, including step-by-step instructions on dealing with fractures, suturing wounds, treating eyes and ears, managing allergic reactions, and more. With common sense advice, and in a handy, portable package, this is one little book that no one should be without in a campsite or in their forest hideaway.”
  • 52 Prepper’s Projects for Parents and Kids by David Nash – “Prepare your child for the unpredictable through 52 prepper projects. Teach them basic outdoors survival skills, first aid, how to create their own "bug-out bag," and more. Most of us aren’t ready for the worst possible events—fire, civil disorder, earthquakes, floods, hurricane, tornado—but we can be! Now there is an easy way for mothers and fathers to teach their kids to be better prepared—and for families to learn to work together. David Nash offers projects that will amaze and entertain kids—and help your family prepare for the worst: Bottle Cap Fishing Lure, Dehydrated Toothpaste Dots, Penny Battery, Mason Jar Butter, Newspaper Seed Pot, Rain Barrel, Homemade Fire starters, Compost Pile, Portable DIY Fishing Gear and more.”
  • How to Survive Anything by Tim MacWelch – “So many possible disasters, so little time to prepare. The end could be coming any day now, and you've got to be ready for the everyday threats such as an earthquake or hurricane, as well as those "well I didn't see that coming" eventualities like a meteor strike or a killer virus. This all-purpose A to Z guide lays out the survival situations we're all likely to face...and a few you really probably won't. How to Survive Anything deftly balances the survival basics that you really do need to know with the wild and crazy eventualities that you probably don't. But, on the other hand, who do you want in your bunker? The guy who read up on coping with a total grid failure or the one who didn't?”
  • How to Survive Anything 1: A Visual Guide to Laughing in the Face of Adversity by Lonely Planet – “A visual guide to laughing in the face of adversity. Earthquake imminent? Stuck in the middle seat on a long-haul flight? Here is a book that will teach you How To Survive Anything. Using the witty, graphic format it will help you withstand any challenge, from the extreme to the ordinary, that life might throw your way.”
  • Code Four by Tania Glenn – “Emergency services personnel are truly valuable assets to every community and city. They enter into the worst situations, establish control, provide aid, and right the wrongs. The work of public safety is challenging and at times overwhelming. Being a first responder can take a significant toll on those who serve. Code Four: Surviving and Thriving in Public Safety is a survival guide for first responders. Designed to normalize what first responders face and to offer solutions, this book is written to teach public servants how to care for themselves and how to implement the necessary cultural changes to improve mental health in emergency services.”

Although community events are cancelled at this time, gaining knowledge and organizing your kit can be your focus for this week. Take advantage of being at home with your family to sit down together and update your safety plans and look over your supplies. Stay safe and healthy.