Emergency Preparedness for Older Adults
Knowing what to expect, how to prepare, and where to find the information you need can make you more resilient in a disaster or emergency.
As an introduction to disaster and emergency preparedness, here is a short informative video:
Here are materials that will help you with the 3 preparedness steps. Click on the name of the document to access and download it.
1. Know the risks
Not all communities face the same risks. A crucial aspect of preparing for emergencies is knowing the risks that are specific to your community.| Pamphlet on emergency preparedness Emergency preparedness awareness and introduction document. |
| List of local resources for Montreal (Editable for other locations) Non-exhaustive list of local resources to support you in your preparations and help you in a disaster or emergency. |
| Pocket guide A practical guide that contains information about what to do before, during, and after a specific disaster or emergency. List of topics covered: flood, house fire, winter storm and extreme cold, heat wave, storm, power outage and how to prepare yourself for the emotional shock of a disaster or crisis. |
2. Make a plan
By creating, and practising a plan, you build your capacity to keep safe during an emergency.| Emergency plan Editable outline to make your emergency plan. Content of interest: two appendices to assess your medical, social and functional needs and examples of specific ways to prepare yourself based on identified needs. |
3. Get a kit
Some disasters or crises may force you to quickly evacuate your home, or conversely, stay there for a potentially indefinite period of time. To make sure you’re ready no matter the circumstances, it’s a good idea to have an evacuation kit and shelter-in-place kit at home.| List of items for your shelter-in-place kit List of items to keep at home to meet your needs for at least 3 days. Content of interest: Information on where to get the items and at what cost. |
| List of items for the evacuation kit Suggestion of items to have in your small and light evacuation kit Content of interest: Information on where to get the items and at what cost. |
| Tag for your evacuation kit A list of items to gather in the event of an evacuation. A checklist to avoid forgetting anything during an evacuation, especially useful for items you use daily. |
These documents and preparedness activities for older adults are made possible by the Robitaille Fund. This fund is dedicated to improving the resilience of older adults in the face of disasters or emergencies for the Montreal Area.
Want to learn more about preparedness?
The Canadian Red Cross in Quebec offers free disaster and crisis preparedness workshops for residents of Montreal, Longueuil and Laval.