Emergencies & Being Prepared

Updated:  May 30, 2022

An emergency is a situation that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property.  Emergencies may be caused by the forces of nature, a disease, an accident or an act whether intentional or otherwise. Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere and are often unpredictable.

You and your family should have a plan in place to stay safe with no outside assistance for 72 hours after an emergency event. (Emergency workers help those most in need first, and may not be able to get to everyone right away.)

In order to be prepared for emergency situations at home, you should:

• know the risks that affect you and the community in which you live,
• create an action plan, and
• have an emergency kit.

Resources

• Emergency Management | ontario.ca
• Emergency Preparedness Guide for People with Disabilities or Special Needs | ontario.ca
• Your Emergency Plan (getprepared.gc.ca)
• Emergency Preparedness Starts With You – Quiz
• Food safety in an emergency – Canadian Food Inspection Agency | canada.ca
• Finding Safe Drinking Water in an Emergency – YouTube
• Flood Cleanup – Keep In Mind Indoor Air Quality
• Cleaning Up After a Flood
• Feeding Your Baby in and Emergency

If you have any questions or concerns regarding emergency planning and preparedness at home, use the resources above or contact Peterborough Public Health at 705-743-1000.