Emergency Preparedness 5

On hot days, overload to power grids often happen. However, whether it’s due to a grid failure or a thunderstorm, power outages can leave you without air conditioning, lighting, hot water or even running water – and they can last for days or even weeks. Here are some tips to help you prepare.

You may have heard the saying “when thunder roars, head indoors”, and that’s great advice. Thunderstorms move quickly, and may be accompanied by high winds, heavy rain, hail, or tornadoes. Pay attention to weather warnings.
 
When outdoors, keep checking for rapidly darkening skies or increasing wind, and seek shelter immediately if you hear thunder or see lightning. If you can’t get home or into shelter, here are some things to keep in mind:

Canada experiences around 8,000 wildfires every year. These can quickly devastate large areas of forest, grasslands, buildings, and even entire communities. As wildfire season rolls around again, we’ve put together some tips to help you prepare - all from the comfort of your own home.

It’s more important than ever to get a head start on your hurricane preparedness. Preparing now means less crowds and shortages amidst a hurricane warning. Here are some easy tips to help get you started. 

Have you ever wondered what living on an island is like? On Grand Manan Island, New Brunswick, living on an island is reality for myself and the rest of the population of 2,360 people. When you are isolated, you have no other choice but to pitch in. Most people wear multiple hats in the community. The rule of survival is to help your neighbours, friends, and family. 
 

A lot of us are now at home following measures taken to help slow the spread of COVID-19, and if you’re anything like me there is only so much time you can spend rewatching episodes of shows you’ve seen over and over again. So, if you’re looking for something to do, why not take some time to make sure your household is ready for an emergency like flooding or a fire?
 

Around the world, a weather or climate-related disaster occurs every one to two days with millions of people needing life-saving assistance each year. When the Red Cross responds to emergencies and disasters, it's important that we consider the environmental impacts of our work - here's how we're doing that. 

It’s a time of year many Canadians look forward to as the weather warms up, leaving behind the thought of heavy snow for another season. But while we look forward to the blossoming of spring, there are a few things to keep in mind that could affect you and your family.
Being prepared means thinking about the possibilities.