What’s happening?
As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, running from May 1 to 7, the city’s emergency management office is encouraging all residents to take concrete actions to be better prepared.
The City of New Westminster has proclaimed May 1 to 7 as Emergency Preparedness Week in an effort to raise awareness about how everyone can increase their personal preparedness to cope with emergencies - including extreme heat that led to numerous deaths in New West in 2021.
The proclamation states emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility where each of us can reduce the risks we face by better understanding proper emergency procedures and learning how to better prepare ourselves, our families and our communities, especially our vulnerable populations and seniors, for possible emergencies.
“Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way to help people cope better both during and after a major disaster,” said a notice about the event. “This year we are focusing our efforts in reminding everyone to create a communication network. This ensures during an emergency you have co-workers, friends, family and or neighbours you reach out to and use if needed. As we saw last year with the heat, we all need to have a personal plan that we can mobilize. We need to continue to adapt and be more resilient as these events continue to occur.”
What if I need help getting prepared?
The city’s emergency management office is setting up displays where community members can get an overview of emergency preparedness and to get heat preparedness information – just in time for summer.
The city will also provide assistance about: how to develop a family emergency plan so everyone knows what to do and where to go in the event of an emergency; and how to create your own family emergency kit so you and your loved ones can be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours should an emergency strike.
Have questions about hazardous risks in our area, what to put in your home emergency kit or how to prepare for the summer heat? Drop by Century House (620 Eighth St.) where displays will be set up on Tuesday, May 3 and Thursday, May 5 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
What else is the city doing?
As part of Emergency Preparedness Week – and during the month of May – the city reaching out to vulnerable populations, residents, non-profits and faith-based organizations and encouraging them to create their own social communication networks.
“This ensures during an emergency they have friends, family and/or neighbours they can reach out to and use if needed,” said a report to council. “As we saw last year with the heat, we all need to have a personal plan that we can mobilize. We need to continue to adapt and be more resilient as these events continue to occur.”
More information, please:
New West residents and businesses in need of more emergency planning information can go to www.newwestcity.ca (search for emergency preparedness program).
Follow Theresa McManus on Twitter @TheresaMcManus
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