Emergency Preparedness: Are You Ready?

As Hurricane Irma, the most powerful Atlantic storm on record, makes its first landfall, the clean-up of Hurricane Harvey continues, and western Canada continues to battle wildfires, emergency preparedness is on a lot of our minds. So, are you ready?

When a natural disaster does hit Victoria, will you and your family be ready?

The threat of natural disaster can make people uncomfortable, and for good reason. It isn’t something we want to acknowledge directly, but the stories are getting closer and closer to home. It truly is only a matter of time until we experience our own natural disaster here in Victoria, and preparedness is just a smart move.

So, what can you do to make sure you and your family are ready?

This website from the Government of Canada is a great resource and offers exceptional information and planning strategies.

Make an emergency plan

You need a plan. It doesn’t take long to put together, but write it down and keep it somewhere easily accessible. If you have more than one person in your household, make sure you talk about where you will meet if you aren’t all together when something happens. Keep your emergency numbers listed, and make it easy to have in your moment of need.

Make copies of important documents

Most people keep their important documents in lockboxes or safes, and that’s great! But additionally, make sure to keep copies of your passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates, insurance documents, and wills or powers of attorney with your emergency plan. If you had to move quickly, you could easily grab this package on your way out the door.

Make an emergency preparedness kit

We all should have one of these, and in actuality, we should have one at home and one in our cars. Each of your emergency kits should have enough to last, at minimum, three days and include the following:

  • Water
  • Food (canned goods, granola bars, dried food)
  • Radio
  • First-aid kit
  • Spare keys to your car and house
  • Some cash, including smaller bills and coins
  • Blankets
  • Basic tools
  • Duct tape
  • Candles
  • Waterproof matches, or better yet, flint and striker
  • Any additional items for family members with conditions or disabilities

None of us want to talk about a wildfire, earthquake, or tsunami hitting home, and that’s okay. It’s tough, but if we’re at least prepared for it, then we can face it if and when something does happen.

We have an emergency kit at our office, if you’re not looking to make one yourself, you can also order one pre-made from Total Prepare right here in Victoria.

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If you are going to be buying or selling a condo, now or in the future, get in touch with The Condo Group Real Estate Real Estate at 250-382-6636. In the meantime, search through thousands of listings in the Greater Victoria Area here.

– The Condo Group Real Estate, reimagined as Island Realm Real Estate, Crew