The start of summer also means the start of hurricane season. From June to November, Atlantic Canada is at risk from these powerful storms. Most of the tropical storms and hurricanes that threaten the Canadian coastline typically arrive later in the season according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre. However, now is a good time to get informed about the risks, take steps to prepare and learn more about how these severe weather events can impact the Atlantic coast.

Should we follow animals’ leads when it comes to natural disasters? For centuries, people have argued that animals can predict natural disasters. Some experts believe animals may have a sixth sense allowing them to sense impending natural disasters long before we humans can.

The Red Cross recently entered into an agreement with the City of Toronto that formalizes our relationship during times of disaster. It’s an important step towards ensuring Torontonians affected by large-scale and small-scale disasters, such as fire, floods or lengthy power outages, will have the support of the Red Cross when they need it most.

Last week was Emergency Preparedness Week (May 4 – 10) and recent severe weather in the United States is a good example of disasters happening in an instant.

So now you’re prepared and have your emergency kit packed and stored somewhere easily accessible in times of disaster, but should that happen, what do you have in your kit to eat?

In preparing for an emergency, the Canadian Red Cross has a lot of information on how to plan for times that take us by surprise at www.redcross.ca/ready. Every household should have an emergency preparedness kit to help you get through the first 72 hours after a disaster strikes.

There’s no question that Canada has had its fair share of challenging weather over the last year. Just think back to the Alberta floods or the ice storm that hit Eastern Canada. There have been an unusually high number of severe weather situations that have kept Red Cross disaster teams on high alert across the country.

About 30 Canadian Red Cross Disaster Management volunteers and staff helped kick off Emergency Preparedness Week, May 4-10, at Toronto City Hall this week. Red Crossers were on hand to teach Deputy Mayor Norm Kelly how to set up cots for a shelter and share information to help Torontonians be ready for disasters.