St. John Ambulance is reminding Northern residents to be prepared for earthquakes and other emergencies and natural disasters with ShakeOutBC day.
Today (Thursday) is a province-wide event used to educate and encourage communities to practice how to respond during a natural disaster by learning what steps need to be taken before an emergency occurs.
Melissa Riggs, Prince George St. John Ambulance Branch Manager, says the concept of earthquake preparedness is mainly focused in the Lower Mainland and Coastal communities, while residents in the North and Eastern areas typically need to be more prepared for other natural disasters.
“Up here in the North, we face much more wildfires or even flooding, but the kind of preparation is the same (as earthquakes), do you have enough stuff in your house to survive for 72 hours without heat or electricity,” she explained.
She says people tend to only consider whether or not they have enough food to survive an emergency, and often forget to ask themselves if they have the tools needed to survive as well.
Keeping an emergency kit can keep residents prepared for a range of natural disasters and emergencies, according to Riggs.
“The commonalities are, you need to have an emergency kit. One for your home, one for your work, and honestly, one in your car. Especially up here in the North, in the winter, if you get broken down on the side of the road you need to have stuff in your vehicle so having a stocked emergency kit is the key to surviving any disaster,” she added.
Emergency kits should include food, water, a first aid kit, a CPR mask, a wind-up or battery-powered flashlight, a radio.
Riggs says it’s also important to personalize the kit with items such as prescription medications, solar cellphone charger, family documents, change of clothing, pet supplies, and cash.
“Just think about what your situation is and if you need to get out of it what would you need, and First Aid supplies are really important. People forget often when you’re in an emergency if you’re in a car accident if you’re in a wildfire, if you’re fleeing anywhere, you should have a really good kit with you that has lots of bandages and cold packs and slings,” she stated.
In order to be extra prepared for emergencies, Riggs recommends participating in a first aid course, such as one offered by St.John Ambulance.
“Having first aid training is essential for everyone. A first aid course teaches students how to properly use the tools in an emergency kit and feel more confident to care for an injury during an emergency or everyday life. First aid training covers the crucial skills of CPR and AED use and how to treat injuries such as burns, sprains, cuts, head trauma, severe bleeding, and more.”
Information on available First Aid and CPR training can be found on the St.John Ambulance and Canadian Red Cross websites.