Emergency Preparedness

Be Prepared.

Have you ever thought about how to prepare for an emergency?  At home?  At work?  At school?
 
By getting yourself prepared, you are helping to build a culture of preparedness in the event of an emergency or disaster.  

If an emergency happens in your community, it may be a while before emergency workers are able to help. You should be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for a minimum of 72 hours. In addition, every able-bodied person is responsible for being ready to respond to an emergency and assisting others including children, the elderly and those who are ill, as appropriate.

Preparations can include everything from learning about the risks in your area to making plans and having emergency supplies on hand. Things to consider:

• how to safely exit your home and community
• have a supply of food and water for at least 72 hours
• prepare a list of your contacts who live close-by and out-of-town
• have health information and extra prescriptions ready to take with you if you have to evacuate
• know the location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical box, gas valve and floor drain
• make plans to ensure your pets or livestock will be looked after

For more information on preparing yourself and your family, see the Provincial Emergency Program's (PEP) Household Preparedness Guide and Checklist (below). Information shared form INAC Get Prepared. 

Every Gitxsan community is working on updating their emergency plan with their Council and Administration & a pandemic plan through their local Gitksan health office.