Emergency Preparedness
Disasters can strike quickly and without warning. If a hazardous material leak required your family to evacuate or a severe winter storm confined your family at home, would you know what to do? An earthquake, flood, tornado, or any other disaster could cut water, electricity, and telephones for hours or days. Could you keep your family warm and fed?
When a disaster strikes, it may take emergency workers some time to reach everyone and they will assist the most vulnerable first. The Canadian Red Cross encourages all Canadians to share the responsibility for their own safety. Be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for at least 72 hours in a disaster, and 1 to 2 weeks in a health emergency.
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If disaster strikes, is your family prepared? | |
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- Know the risks in your community.
- Make a family emergency plan.
- Get or make an emergency preparedness kit.
Make a difference by helping others when disaster strikes
- Take a Red Cross first aid course. Our hands-on training will teach you how to respond to emergencies and provide first aid with confidence. Contact your local Red Cross office for information.
- Become a Red Cross volunteer. We are looking for enthusiastic new members for our disaster response teams in many regions across the country. Contact your local Red Cross office for information or visit our volunteering page.
Learn more
- Download the Let’s Plan for the Unexpected booklet for information on how you and your family can be better prepared for an emergency.
- Visit http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/. Canadian Red Cross is a partner in emergency preparedness with Public Safety Canada.
- Explore our special education programs for children and youth.
- Read about the Memorandum of Understanding that formalizes the working relationship between the Department of Public Safety and the Canadian Red Cross.
The Canadian Red Cross is grateful for the generous support of its disaster corporate partners Walmart Canada, RONA, RBC Insurance and Petro-Canada and our media sponsor The Weather Network.
You Make the Difference – Support Canadians Affected by Disasters
From house fires to forest fires, hurricanes to floods, the Canadian Red Cross is there for more than 20,000 Canadians who are affected by disasters each year. Please donate to the Canadian Red Cross Fund.
