Whether it's something impacting the whole area or just your home, a little preparation now can make things go more smoothly in the event of an emergency.
Emergency Preparedness
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Do Your Part, Fire Smart!
Doing simple things to fire smart your home can make a big difference in wildfire situations.
Here are some resources to assist you with fire smarting:
- Protecting your home: https://firesmartcanada.ca/homeowners/protect-your-home/
- Yard and Landscaping: https://firesmartcanada.ca/homeowners/yard-and-landscaping/
- Home Ignition Zone Self-Assessment Checklist: https://firesmartcanada.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/FSC_Wildfire-Evac-Checklist-June-2023.pdf
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House Insurance Preparedness
To be prepared for a possible future house insurance claim, you may want to consider doing some or all of the following:
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Take photos of your belongings, including sock drawers as well as large ticket items;
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Take a video of each room in your house, don’t forget the garage;
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Take photos of receipts for higher-cost items (store them in a separate folder);
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Create an itemized list of the items in each room.
Update your video, pictures or lists every once in a while to ensure your inventory is current and accurate.
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Your emergency preparedness plan
It’s never too early to start putting together an emergency preparedness plan. Having a plan thought out ahead of time can decrease the stress you might experience as the fire season progresses.
Schedule a time to create your plan so you don’t forget about it.
- 72 Hour Emergency Preparedness Guide (Public Safety Canada )
- Step by step electronic, printable, version of an emergency plan (Canadian Red Cross)
Packing: Go-bag or bin
The content depends on you and your family. You may want to put some of these items in a bag early in the season to make yourself feel more comfortable and ready to go at any time. You may want to dry run packing your vehicle so that you know how much space you have or need.
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Basic To-Go Car Kit
Food & Water
- Water (Two liters per person per day, and don’t forget refillable water bottles)
- Food (Snacks for the long car ride)
- Cooler with ice or plug-in for perishable items
- Manual Can Opener (If you pack canned food)
- Life straw
Staying Safe & Clean
- First Aid Kit
- N95 Masks (Helps filter thick smoke)
- Toilet Paper (In a large zip lock bag to keep clean and dry)
- Tissues (Travel size)
- Paper Towels or Napkins (In a zip lock bag to keep clean and dry)
- Hand Sanitizer
- Wipes (For body and cleaning)
- Garbage Bags
Thinking of all times of day
- Blanket/Sleeping Bag (One per member in the vehicle)
- Wind-Up or Battery-Powered Flash Light
- Wind-Up or Battery-Powered Radio
- Phone Charger (Cord or extra power bank)
- Note pad and pen/pencil
- Glow sticks
- Whistle (To draw attention)
- Sunglasses (One pair for each member in the vehicle)
Car readiness
- Owners Manual
- Vehicle Insurance (Check to ensure it is current)
- Vehicle Registration (Check to ensure it is current)
- Road Side Assistance Card/Info
- Maps (for neighbouring provinces/ states- depending on where you are going)
- Coins (For old school parking meters or air compressors)
- Roof/Bumper Cargo Carriers or Cross Bars (For jerry cans, luggage or bins)
- Seatbelt Cutting/Glass Break Tool
- Tire Pressure Gauge (Prior to leaving check pressure in tires, including the spare tire)
- Engine oil (A funnel makes it easier to add oil)
- Coolant
- Windshield Fluid
- Jerry Cans of Gas (To avoid the long line up at Fort Providence)
Basic Tools
- Screw driver
- Pliers
- Socket set
- Duct Tape
- Pocket knife
Road emergency kit
- High-visibility vest
- Reflectors/cones
- Tow rope
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Adults
Clothing
- Jacket (Consider one with pockets to put your phone or other easy to grab items in )
- Shirts
- Pants
- Shorts
- Pajamas
- Sweatshirt
- Bathing Suit
- Underwear
- Socks
- Bras
- Hat
- Shoes/boots
Toiletries
- Tooth Brush
- Tooth Paste
- Dental Floss
- Soap/Body wash (maybe a poof)
- Mouth Wash
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Feminine Hygiene Products
- Makeup
- Makeup remover
- Cotton balls/ pads
- Comb/Hair Brush
- Hair dryer/ straightener etc
- Hair elastics, scrunchies, etc…
- Deodorant
- Nail clippers
- Nail file
- Tweezers
- Shaver
- Mirror
- Chapstick
- Lotion
- Medication (Prescription and over the counter)
Other
- Alarm clock
- Hand sanitizer
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Sewing kit
- Fun Stuff/Time fillers (Activity books, Sudoku, travel games, books, e-reader)
- Head Phones
- Reading glasses
- Charger
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Children
Clothing
- Jacket (Consider one with pockets to put your phone or other easy to grab items in )
- Shirts
- Pants
- Shorts
- Pajamas
- Sweatshirt
- Bathing Suit
- Underwear
- Socks
- Hat
- Shoes/boots
Toiletries
- Tooth Brush
- Tooth Paste
- Dental Floss
- Soap/Bubble Bath
- Mouth Wash
- Shampoo
- Conditioner
- Comb/Hair Brush
- Hair elastics, scrunchies, etc…
- Deodorant
- Chapstick
- Lotion
- Medication (Prescription and over the counter)
Other
- Sunscreen
- Bug Spray
- Fun Stuff/Time fillers (Colouring books/crayons, travel games, books, tablet, toys )
- Head Phones
- Stuffed Animals
- Favourite blanket
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Pets
Preparing to be on the move
- Pet Carrier (Crate, cage, tank, etc… )
- Collar & Harness (May need different ones depending on the situation e.g. light up collar for nights)
- Leash
- ID Tag (Be sure your contact information is correct)
- Food (Don’t forget the treats)
- Water
- Bowls/Dishes/Bottles (Consider purchasing collapsible ones to save space)
- Medication (Anti-nausea, calming - sprays can be purchased from your vet or pet store, hairball, prescription )
Comfort
- Bed
- Rain Jacket & Boots
- Ball / active toys
- Chew toys/ treats
- Towel
- Blanket
Staying clean
- Poop Bags
- Litter/Shavings
- Tooth Brush
- Tooth Paste
- Shampoo
- Cotton Balls/Pads
- Comb/Brush
- Nail Clippers
- Hair Clippers
- Wipes (Pet and cleaning)
- Paper Towels
Here’s additional information on preparing your pets for an emergency (From City of Yellowknife)
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General
Besides your personal, car items and food, you may want to consider packing a bin of items you will want to take with you. The content depends on you and your family. Here are some suggestions:
- Scissors
- Trash Bags (Large and small)
- Can Opener
- Plates, Bowls, Cups, Utensils, etc… (Disposable, re-usable or camping)
- Sewing Kit
- Paper Towels
- Towels (Body, hand and face cloths )
- Umbrella
- Pillow (Favourite and/or travel neck pillow )
- Blue Tooth Speaker
- Board Games (Deck of cards, travel games, cribbage board, etc…)
- Game console (Switch, PS3, etc…)
- Don’t forget your important documents
Paperwork Checklists
Maybe scan your documents and email them to a friend or family member, just in case you forget your physical papers. This way you will have electronic copies that you can look for in your email sent folder. Here is a list of documents you should gather and have ready to take with you, in any emergency situation requiring you to leave your house on short notice:
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Personal Documents
Driver’s license
Passport
Birth Certificate
Social Insurance Card
Diploma’s or Degrees
Professional Licenses
Marriage Certificate
Religious Documents (baptism)
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Medical Documents
Immunization Records
List of Medications/Prescriptions (names and dosage)
Health Card
Health Benefits/Insurance Cards
Disabilities Documents
Contact Information for Dr.’s, Dentists, Pharmacy, etc… -
Financial Documents
Bank Account Numbers/Card(s)
Credit Card Numbers/Card(s)
Investments (stocks, bonds, etc…)
Pay Stub (recent)
Government Benefits
Child Support
Alimony
Retirement/Pension Statements
Property Tax
Annual Tax Filing (most recent) -
Legal Documents
Mortgage
Property Deed
Lease or Rental Agreement
Loans (house, car, personal, etc…)
Will
Power of Attorney
Divorce Papers
Adoption Records
Custody Records -
Insurance Documents
Home
Content/Apartment
Auto (car, boat, motorcycle, etc…)
Life -
Pets' Documents
Vaccination Records (including rabies)
Microchip Number
Medications (names and dosages)
Adoption Papers
Medical Conditions
Insurance - Care Plans
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