The Town of Drumheller is helping get residents informed about how to be prepared should disaster strike.
Residents are encouraged to take a look at a 72 hour survival guide, which teaches how to survive an extended period without power or basic services.
Last November, Drumheller was hit with a large power outage after ice buildup on power lines shut down the town and large parts of Alberta. As the outage dragged on, the relief some felt for some time off work was replaced by trepidation about having to face the possibility of an extended blackout.
Town and emergency staff convened and began making plans to cope should the power remain out for an extended period.
The power, in large part, was working again the next day, but discussion did not stop in Town Hall regarding Drumheller’s preparedness in a disaster.
Dave Powell winds up a flashlight during a power outage in Drumheller last year. A wind-up flashlight is among a list of recommended items residents should have should disaster strike.
One initiative is to get Drumheller residents informed about what they’ll need in an emergency.
“There are specific things people should have on hand to carry them through an emergency in the community,” said Fire Chief Bill Bachynski, coordinator for Drumheller Disaster Services.
The 72 hour emergency preparedness guides help residents plan for the worst. Items they recommend include:
Water – at least two litres per person per day. Placed in small containers that can be carried easily in the event of an evacuation order.
Food – non perishable items such as canned food, energy bars, and dried foods. Both food and water should be replaced at least once per year.
Manual can opener.
Wind-up or battery powered flashlight and radio, with extra batteries.
First aid kit.
Extra keys to your house and car.
Some cash in small bills and change.
Any medication, infant formula, equipment for persons with disabilities, and pet food.
A copy of your emergency plan or contact information.
The Town is also making sure it’s prepared. Recently, Town staff and emergency services went through a disaster planning scenario coordinated by a representative from Alberta Emergency Management.
“We have it once a year. There are always lessons learned about how to improve your disaster services response. Specifically, there were no big issues that came out of the meeting,” said Bachynski. “The exercises happen in every municipality. It’s something done to prepare Albertans for any type of disaster they may be confronted with.”
The exercise had participants work through what they would do were a tornado to rip through town.
“It’s something we want to be prepared for. It was the first time we have done a tornado exercise. I thought we did extremely well. It made everyone think about their roles and responsibilities in an emergency,” said Bachynski. “We have to be prepared the best we can for any type of disaster that could affect the community,”
The guides can be found here.
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