This week is Emergency Preparedness Week, a national event supported by Public Safety Canada with contributions from the provincial and territorial governments.
To acknowledge the event, the Town of Golden is encouraging its residents to evaluate how ready they are to react in the event of a large-scale emergency.
The town is promoting a three-step process to better prepare to face a wide range of emergencies.
The most important part of emergency preparedness is knowing what risks and dangers to be prepared for. According to the Town of Golden, Golden’s top hazards include flooding, wildfire and transportation accidents (including both road and rail.)
In addition to knowing the risks, it is also important to remain well-informed and stay up to date on local events through trustworthy sources.
“Reliable information is vital during an emergency,” Kyle Hale, Golden and area emergency program coordinator, said. “We encourage residents to stay aware and plan ahead by signing up for Alertable mass notification system.”
“Alertable is a multi-purpose communication service used to send alerts to residents, businesses, and visitors during critical events like fires or floods,” the service’s website reads.
Alertable is available as a mobile application for iOS and Android smartphones. It is also available in the form of emails, text messages, or voice calls. Registration for these methods is available online at the Alertable website.
The second step is for each household to have a well-established emergency plan. An emergency plan can help alleviate some of the shock and stress that can come during a crisis.
Finally, every household is encouraged to have an emergency kit and each member of the household should have a grab-and-go bag. These kits and bags should have enough supplies to suffice for 72 hours in the event of an evacuation.
The 72-hour emergency kits can reduce casualties in emergencies by allowing first responders to focus on those most heavily affected by the event while.
The provincial government has information and advice on how to build an emergency kit which includes checklists and printable family kits. Prepared BC suggests that emergency kits be checked twice a year and restocked as necessary.
In the event of an emergency in Golden, emergency response is carried out in a joint effort between the town and the Columbia Shuswap Regional District.
For more information on Golden’s emergency management programs, visit the Town of Golden’s website. Members of the public with further questions can contact Kyle Hale by email at kyle.hale@goldeneoc.ca.
