Be ready for anything: Emergency Preparedness Week – May 1 to 7

Whitby, Ontario – The Regional Municipality of Durham is reminding residents that Emergency Preparedness Week runs from May 1 to 7. This year’s theme is Emergency Preparedness: Be Ready for Anything. The intent of this theme is to encourage residents to become better prepared for a range of emergencies they could potentially face in Durham Region. Here are a few easy steps everyone can take:

Have a plan in case you are told to stay inside or to leave quickly. Pick a meet-up spot out of town. Your entire family should know where and when to meet up if they can’t reach each other during an emergency.
Know the risks where you live, work and play; it will help you be better prepared.
Make a kit, or several kits, of basic items you and your family, including pets, will need in an emergency. Have important documents backed up in a safe place – safety deposit box, secure cloud storage, fire and waterproof box.
Stay in touch with your emergency contacts and get reliable information during an emergency.

With Durham being home to two nuclear generating stations, it’s also important to remember that nuclear preparedness is emergency preparedness. Based on the results of last year’s Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Survey, this year’s campaign will focus on promoting awareness of the following information, residents should know in the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency:

There would be several days to take preventative actions.
Residents would be notified and instructions given by official channels and trusted news sources.
Alert Ready text messages, automated phone calls to landline phones, sirens, radio and television alerts, as well as official websites and social media channels would be used to notify residents.

In addition to being prepared for any type of emergency, residents are encouraged to get reliable information from official government websites and social media channels, as well as from trusted local media outlets.

For more details, including valuable resources and to complete this year’s Nuclear Emergency Preparedness Survey, visit the Region’s Emergency Preparedness page at durham.ca/prepared.

Quotes:

“On behalf of Regional Council, it is my pleasure to proclaim May 1 to 7, 2022, as Emergency Preparedness Week in Durham Region. Be sure to set some time aside this May to make sure your emergency kits are stocked, your plans are up-to-date, and your documents are backed up. Each year, Emergency Preparedness Week reminds us how important it is to be prepared for any type of emergency in the Region, and these small steps will help ensure that you and your family are ready for anything.”

– John Henry, Regional Chair and Chief Executive Officer

“I think the last two plus years have shown us, without a doubt, that there is no downside to being prepared for any type of emergency. Having a solid plan, keeping an emergency kit on hand, safeguarding important documents, as well as knowing where to go for trusted, accurate information are simple things you can do today to be ready for anything."

– James Kilgour, Director, Durham Emergency Management

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For media requests, please contact CorporateCommunications@durham.ca.