Essential items for your emergency "grab-and-go" kit
The key to staying safe is to prepare and to have an emergency plan in place.
In the event of an emergency, it is always important to: know the risks, make a plan, and be prepared.
During wildfire season, a “grab-and-go” bag or a personalized preparedness kit is an important tool to have ready when it comes to ‘being prepared’.
If you ever find yourself in an emergency or disaster situation that requires immediate evacuation, there won't be time to run around the house to collect items.
Plan ahead by assembling a grab-and-go bag well in advance, and put it in a place that’s quickly and easily accessible. Make sure everyone in your household knows where it is.
The bag should contain practical items - like drinking water, non-perishable food, a change of clothes for each person in the family, a flashlight, portable radio, and extra batteries. You may also want to consider having some cash to have on hand and copies of important documents for your family.
Think about items that might be unique to your family’s needs as well - things like baby formula, personal medications, or prescriptions and don’t forget about your pets' needs as well.
For more information on wildfire preparedness, wildfire smoke and protecting your health, and a list of items to include in your grab-and-go bag, go to redcross.ca.
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With files from Canadian Red Cross. Thumbnail image credit Roger Brown/Pexels.
