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Eight ways to participate in Emergency Preparedness Week!
Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) began 15 years ago as a way to raise awareness across the country about the importance of being prepared for an emergency.
This year, EP Week is being celebrated May 2 – 8 and we’re asking Canadians to take action!
A flood, extended power outage, hazardous material leak or other disaster could affect water supply, cut electricity and phone service for days or even weeks. Emergency responders will be on the scene, but they can’t reach everyone right away.
Being prepared means being ready to cope for at least the first 72 hours of an emergency while those in urgent need are helped first. It can also make real situations less stressful for you and your family.
There are lots of quick, inexpensive things you can do to prepare your family (some of them take less than five minutes)!
- Know the risks – learn about local risks and plan for those that are more likely to occur. Is there spring flooding? Forest fires? Earthquakes? To find out more click here.
- Make a family emergency plan – since your family may not be together when an emergency happens, a plan will help you and your family know what to do and how to reach each other in an emergency. Click here to check out our NEW “Making a Family Emergency Plan” video.
- Talk to your kids about emergencies. Teach them basic personal information so they can identify themselves if they become separated from you, and who to call like 9-1-1 or your local emergency number, to get help.
- Get an emergency kit – find out exactly what goes in a kit by watching our short video, “Preparing a Family Emergency Kit in Plain English,” then share the link with friends or family.
- Take part in a local event – this year marks the 15th anniversary of EP Week, during which provinces and territories across the country join the Government of Canada and other partners in raising awareness about the importance of being prepared. To learn more about EP Week activities in your province or territory, please contact your emergency measures organization.
- Download and read a publication or visit your local Service Canada Centre to pick up a copy of Your Emergency Preparedness Guide.
- Take part in a contest from a “72 Hours” campaign supporter, Energizer, for a chance to win an emergency kit www.Energizer.ca/beprepared.
- Participate on Facebook – select an emergency preparedness button and change your Facebook profile picture; write on your wall about how you have prepared for an emergency; or create your own emergency preparedness fan page. The button and lots of great information for your fan page can be found at GetPrepared.ca
So, do your part! Take time this Emergency Preparedness Week to get the whole family involved and have fun getting prepared!
P.S. Stay in the loop year-round and become part of the growing number of Canadians who want to share experiences and learn more about how to prepare for emergencies by following us on Twitter @Get_Prepared.
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Help your staff learn about shock treatment using the exercise below:
Shock Scenarios:
A child has been helping to prepare dinner: The knife slips and makes a long slice across her hand, which is now bleeding profusely. Only the mother and child are at home. Who can go into shock?
A party is going full tilt when there is a scream from the kitchen. A guest has spilled a cup of hot coffee on her arm. Who can go into shock?
A pan of oil spills on the stove, causing a burst of flames that burns the face of a man. His wife and three children are at home. Who can go into shock?
A single automobile is in the ditch. There were three persons in the car. Two out of the car, mumbling, walking around dazed, and inspecting scratches and bruises on themselves. The third is in the auto, hugging her chest and gasping for air. Who can go into shock?
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A swarm of str
ong earthquakes hit China’s Qinghai province near Tibet early Wednesday morning, the strongest being a 7.1 that toppled an estimated 85% of homes in the impoverished rural area.
The China earthquake is the latest major quake of 2010, following the January magnitude 7.0 earthquake that demolished the country of Haiti, the 8.8 magnitude quake that hit Chile, and the relatively mild early morning 4.4 earthquake that startled people awake in Los Angeles and caused an estimated $100 million in damage.
Seismic-hazard maps released in 2008 show the Boulder Creek fault 40 km’s east of Bellingham running 11km lengthwise and 17km across into BC, near Abbotsford. Experts say this fault could produce a 6.8 magnitude earthquake in BC and would likely cause structural damage to buildings in Abbotsford and throughout Metro Vancouver, to the coast (The Province April 2008).
The recent earthquakes have many people feeling earthquake anxiety and wondering if they are foretelling “The Big One” in the United States, which geologists say is inevitable. There is a widespread perception that something unusual is going on – a pervasive level of anxiety regarding the stability of the earth under our feet – something we normally take for granted.
This is a good reminder to be prepared. If you are feeling earthquake anxiety, now would be a great time to buy an earthquake preparedness kit. Call SOS Emergency Response Technologies at 604-277-5855
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According to the Workers Compensation Act, if you are an employer with 20 or more staff in a workplace determined to be moderate or high risk, or one with 50 or more workers in a workplace determined to be low risk, you are required to implement a formal occupational health and safety (OH&S) program. And you must also maintain a joint occupational health and safety committee consisting of both employer and employee representatives if you employ 20 or more workers.If you are not required to establish an OH&S program, it is still a good practice to implement the basics in the workplace. As an employer you are responsible for ensuring that you and your employees are working in a safe and healthy environment. It contributes to positive work morale and is part of a good employee retention strategy.
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Every year, WorkSafeBC, the B.C. Federation of Labour, and the Business Council of British Columbia co-host a public ceremony to remember workers who have lost their lives as a result of work-related accidents or occupational diseases.
This year, the Day of Mourning ceremony will be held on Tuesday, April 28, 10:30 a.m., on the southwest side of the Vancouver Convention Centre (1055 Canada Place). Families, workers, employers, and other interested parties are invited to attend.
Day of Mourning poster (PDF 1.2mb)
Visit the online memorial
You’re also invited to visit the Day of Mourning web site and dedicate a flower in memory of someone who has died as result of their job.
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Richmond teachers saved the life of a 15-year student who went into cardiac arrest. A teacher dispatched a student to get two teachers that are certified Level 2 first aid attendants at MacNeill Secondary. The two performed CPR and administered oxygen, which the school has for emergencies. Paramedics later told the teachers that they saved the students life with their actions. MacNeill Secondary should be commended in their efforts for a proactive health and safety program.
