In your day-to-day living, disasters may seem a distant possibility. Yet natural disasters, such as floods or tornadoes; technological or environmental accidents, such as chemical spills; or service disruptions, such as power failures during the winter, can strike any community, including ours, at any time. If you're unprepared for a disaster, it can shatter your life.

Expect the unexpected and plan for it. Knowing what to do when a disaster strikes will help you better control the situation and be in a position to recover more quickly. And while the region does have an emergency plan, no community is equipped to handle all the demands of a catastrophe. Help your community by preparing yourself. Make sure everyone in your family knows what to do before, during and after an emergency.

• Know the risks
• Make a plan
• Prepare a kit

Follow the links below for more information, or visit the Public Safety Canada Emergency Preparedness web site at: http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-eng.aspx.

• Evacuation Procedures
• Reception Centres
• Shelter in Place
• Personal and Family Emergency Preparedness
• Be Prepared Not Scared
• Home Checklist
• Home Hazard Hunt
• Neighbourhood Preparedness
• Neighbourhood Training
• Office Preparedness
• Pets preparedness
• Preparedness
• Information for Those Returning Home after a Forest Fire Evacuation from Interior Health

Link to Provincial Emergency Program Hazard Preparedness materials

Link to the Grab and Go Kit page

Interface Fire Protection

• Protecting Your Home From Interface Fires
• Wildfire Hazard Reduction - Regional District of Central Okanagan Residential Construction & Landscaping Recommendations
• Firesmart Homeowner's Manual (3.7MB, 16 pages)
• Firewise Landscaping and Construction Checklist
• Preparing a House for Wildland Fire Season
• My Forest Home, Am I Prepared?
• Wildfire Approaching Checklist
• Interior Health webpage information on Forest Fires and Your Health
• Public Safety Canada Get Prepared.ca webpage on Wildfires in Canada

Flood Preparedness and Protection

• Provincial Emergency Program - links to information on flood preparations and how to recover after experiencing flood damage
• Cleaning Up After A Flood - link to information from BC Health Guide
• Public Safety Canada - getprepared.ca link to flood preparation before and after
• Interior Health webpage of information for flood victims

Disaster Financial Assistance Information

• Provincial Emergency Program - link to information to help residents cope with costs of repair and recovery from disaster-related property damage

Pandemic

• Link to Government of Canada website on Pandemic, Avian and Seasonal Influenza Information
• Link to Interior Health Pandemic Planning webpage

Power or Electricity Outages

• Link to BC Hydro web information / BC Hydro Electricity Outage Information for Customers
• Link to Fortis BC web information
• Public Safety Canada Get Prepared webpage on Power Outages