Emergency Preparedness 16

The start of the year is a perfect time to check your emergency kit to make sure everything is ready to go if it’s needed. 

How do some countries and regions escape relatively unscathed from major disasters, while others struggle to recover from these events? Many factors are at play, and while it’s impossible to compare one disaster with another, it’s clear that the level of preparedness and the local capacity to respond quickly to the disaster can significantly improve the outcomes.

In an emergency, you may not have electricity to cook standard meals for your family or yourself – what delicious and nutritious meals would you ‘cook’ up?
Join in our contest by using #DisasterDining to share your recipe as text, photo or video. The seven entries with the most votes will be eligible to win a $25 Walmart gift card or disaster preparedness kit.

Released today by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), this year’s World Disasters Report takes a look at the importance of local actors, individuals and local groups such as National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, taking action as first responders at the scene of a crisis.

My first impression of Philippine Red Cross staff and volunteers when I arrived straight after Typhoon Haiyan in November 2013 was of dedicated and hardworking people who deeply believe in the mission and ideals of the Red Cross. They never shy away from harsh and difficult conditions to ensure that assistance is delivered to those who truly need it, when they need it.

Summer brings warmer weather but also an increase in frequency of tornado warnings and watches. On average, Canada gets 62 tornadoes a year and they can have devastating effects on homes and communities. Do you know the difference between a tornado watch and warning? Are you prepared if there is a tornado in your region?

Last week I discovered that Spam can actually taste good. Four Saskatoon Chefs battled in a Disaster Dining challenge and one even shared his recipe.

Large-scale disasters like the Nepal earthquake last week continue to remind us of the importance of being ready. Canada is not immune to disasters, as we saw with the Alberta floods and the Lac-Mégantic train derailment in 2013.

We mark Emergency Preparedness Week (May 3-9) here in Canada by encouraging everyone to be ready.