Waterloo region's Emergency Preparedness Week all about taking 'small steps'

In Waterloo region, National Emergency Preparedness Week is all about taking "small steps" toward being ready when disaster strikes.

"A little planning can make a big difference," said Ryan Maeck, the emergency management advisor for Waterloo region.

"Residents can take small steps now so they're ready when it counts," he said, adding "being prepared is a mindset."

The region's events officially started Sunday and will run all week.

This year's theme is: Be prepared. Know your risks.

Waterloo region has lined up several events where people can come in and hear from organizations involved in disaster and emergency response about how to prepare for emergencies. 

"This is really about starting with being informed, knowing what types of risks and hazards are in our community, and looking at making a small plan about how we're going to deal with those things as an individual or a family when they happen," Maeck said.

Staying informed during emergencies

Waterloo region also has an alert service specifically catered to residents of this region.

On their website, Alert Waterloo Region is described as "a service that allows you to receive important public safety messages in the event of a large-scale emergency such as a flood, severe weather, or other emergency situations."

Maeck says opting in to the service is as simple as going to the website and subscribing.

"It just asks for some straightforward information just about setting up a profile there and subscribing via text, getting alerts through e-mail or your phone," he said.

Those availing of the service may incur "standard text message rates," according to the website.

Still, Maeck encourages people to check Waterloo region's website for emergency preparedness. 

"You can find preparedness information on preparing before, during and acting during and how to recover after an emergency as well," he said.

"Once we've established what we need to be prepared, we can protect ourselves, our families, and others in our community when things happen."

Canadian preparedness 'extremely low'

However, there is concern Canadians might not be doing enough to prepare for when disasters strike.

In an interview with CBC K-W's The Morning Edition with host Craig Norris, Aaida Mamuji, an associate professor of disaster and emergency management at York University, said that disaster preparedness among Canadians is "extremely low."

"I think that's the greatest barrier to preparedness, this indifference, this denial that we're going to be the ones affected," she said.

Mamuji said people need to "face the unfortunate reality" that disasters affect everyone. She says it's not a matter of if it will affect someone, but a matter of when.

People "will fare a lot better" during and after emergencies if they prepare, she said.

Emergency Preparedness 101

Mamuji said there are a number of things she believes Canadians can do to be better prepared for emergency situations. 

She said having cash on hand is "critical" during emergencies, especially ones where electricity is affected. 

"You might not be able to use the credit card or your touchless pay…  if the electricity is down," she said.

"That's something that we saw a lot in Europe last week," she added, citing the major power outage in the Iberian Peninsula that shut down subway systems, communications systems, as well as ATMs.

Mamuji suggests setting aside money that is worth three days of household expenses, and keeping that money in a place that is easy to access during emergency situations.

Another suggestion is to have emergency preparedness kits. 

Mamuji suggests including important medications, sanitary items, canned goods, candles, torches, among other things. 

She also recommends having solar chargers and battery power packs for mobile phones, which people can use to stay updated on the news or contact other people.

As to what else to put into an emergency preparedness kit, Mamuji says it's "going to really depend on your household and the people in your circle or in your care."

Mamuji says while our phones may keep us connected to the rest of the community, it might also be beneficial to step away from our phones and connect directly to the people around us.

"In the case of a disaster, the first people that you're going to be in contact with that are going to help one another are those neighbours," she said. 

"You might have cans of food, but your neighbour has a barbecue. And so you're able to connect and help one another."

The power of community

In early April, an ice storm in Orillia left approximately 175,000 customers without power. The event underscores the importance of community efforts in dealing with disasters and emergency situations. 

On Monday, the province announced it would invest $5 million toward funding "to help communities prepare for and respond to emergencies."

"I saw first-hand, during the recent ice storms, how our community and the entire province is stronger when we have the capacity to come together to support each other and respond quickly when disaster strikes," said Jill Dunlop, minister of emergency preparedness and response, in the release. 

This year, 114 cities and communities across Ontario will receive grants, which can be used to purchase "emergency supplies, equipment, and services."

Upcoming Events

Below is a list of the events in Waterloo region:

• May 6: Kitchener City Hall drop-in to how to be better prepared from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.

• May 7: Kitchener City Hall drop-in from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

• May 9: City of Waterloo Information Event at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex, Community Pavilion from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

• May 10: Kitchener Market drop-in from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• May 15: Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) Emergency Preparedness open house from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira.