Extreme weather events and other natural disasters may be beyond our control, but there are ways to reduce the risk and the impact of whatever emergency we might face – whether natural or human-induced.

Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services and the RCMP are encouraging both residents and business owners alike to ensure they are capable of being completely self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours in the event of a serious emergency situation.

“One of the most significant considerations for residents is that emergency services may not be readily available, as increasing demands will be placed on responders during these events,” said Cranbrook Fire & Emergency Services Chief Wayne Price. “It may take us some time to get to you as we help those in most critical need first.”

Residents are encouraged to prepare themselves to be capable of being completely self-sufficient for a 72-hour period minimum in an emergency. Having a well-stocked emergency kit in your home, and a well laid out family emergency plan will allow you and your family to better handle long term emergency situations, like gas or hydro outages, storms or other potential emergency situations.

By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. It is important to:

– Know the risks – Although the consequences of disasters can be similar, knowing the risks specific to our community and our region can help you better prepare.

– Make a plan – It will help you and your family know what to do.

– Get an emergency kit – During an emergency, we will all need some basic supplies. We may need to 
get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency.

For information on how to best prepare yourself and your family for any type of unforeseen emergency, visit these links to creating household plans, building emergency kits, pet preparedness, neighbourhood preparedness as well as plans for those living in apartments and condos.

You can also stay informed by bookmarking many trusted information channels:

City of Cranbrook Facebook page;

@cityofcranbrook for city related emergency information;

@PreparedBC for preparedness information;

@EmergencyInfoBC and Emergency Info BC for alerts;

@BCGovFireInfo for wildfire updates

@DriveBC and DriveBC.ca for road conditions

City of Cranbrook

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