Everyone has a role to play in being prepared for an emergency.

Building awareness is a great first step. With your help, together we can communicate the importance of emergency preparedness to all members of the campus community.

The Office of Emergency Management encourages everyone to take three simple steps to become better prepared to face a range of emergencies:

Learn about the natural hazards in Canada and in your region. More importantly, learn how to prepare for them - a natural hazard need not be a natural disaster. Being prepared can make a world of difference.

For more information on hazards that may affect you and your family please visit Public Safety Canada's Get Prepared Website.

By definition, emergencies happen when we don't expect them, and often when families are not together. Suddenly, you need to think about your kids at school or elderly parents across town. If phones don't work, or some neighbourhoods aren't accessible, what will you do?

Having a family emergency plan will save time and make real situations less stressful. To get started, you can view Public Safety Canada's video "Make an Emergency Plan." It will take you about 20 minutes to make a family emergency plan online. You can then print it out.

Before starting, you will need to think about:

• Safe exits from home and neighbourhood;
• Meeting places to reunite with family or roommates;
• Designated person to pick up children should you be unavailable;
• Contact persons close-by and out-of-town;
• Health and insurance information;
• Places for your pet to stay;
• Risks in your region;
• Location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical panel, gas valve and floor drain.

To begin making a personal/family Emergency Plan you can use Public Safety Canada's online template.

In case of a major event you will need some basic supplies set aside at home. Many emergency kit items may already be in your home. It's just a question of taking some time and putting them together as your emergency kit.

Get started now - choose one and take a first step to Get Prepared!

• Basic emergency kit
• Emergency car kit
• Where to buy an emergency kit
• 72 Hour Personal Emergency Preparedness Kit Shopping List
• Emergency Car Kit Shopping List