Emergency Basics Guide

In this article we focus strictly on Emergency Basics to help you through an emergency situation.

Emergency First Aid

Having your Emergency First Aid Certificate can be an asset to you in many ways. You have the knowledge to help others in need. Red Cross offers First Aid Courses and information on these can easily be found on their website.

As beneficial as having your Emergency First Aid Certification can be, you don’t necessarily need this in order to be prepared for a medical emergency. Having a checklist for an emergency situation can be helpful as well.

Emergency First Aid Kit Checklist

Ready.gov¹ provides a First Aid Kit list for emergencies.

Having the knowledge and ability to take care of minor injuries can make a difference when it comes to an emergency. The following list includes what can help you be prepared to assist in an emergency situation.

• Sterile gloves – be aware of any Latex allergies
• Sterile dressings to stop bleeding
• Cleansing agent/soap and antibiotic towelettes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Burn ointment
• Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes
• Eye wash solution to flush the eyes or as general decontaminant
• Thermometer
• Prescription medications you take every day such as insulin, heart medicine and asthma inhalers. You should periodically rotate medicines to account for expiration dates.
• Prescribed medical supplies such as glucose and blood pressure monitoring equipment and supplies

This list of tools with help you be prepared to stop bleeding, prevent infection, and assist in decontamination.

Non-prescription drugs:

• Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Antacid
• Laxative

Other first aid supplies:

• Scissors
• Tweezers
• Tube of petroleum jelly or other lubricant

For Additional Emergency Supplies and Supplies for Unique Needs, please visit the following website: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/

Get Prepared Canada² also recommends carrying an emergency kit for your car in case of an accident away from your home. You can find these at many of your local stores such as Walmart, Canadian Tire, etc. Or, visit Get Prepared Canada’s page which lists suggested items to create your own emergency car kit.

Are you prepared for an Emergency?

Have an Emergency Preparedness Plan

Why should you have an Emergency Preparedness Plan? In the case of an emergency, a prepared plan will help reduce stress and improve focus. If you are prepared you will be able to spend less time worrying if anything was missed. Another important thing to keep in mind, at the time of an emergency your family may not all be in one place. It is important to have a plan in place that each family member can follow.

At the following link, you can view and download Emergency Preparedness Plans for the whole family:

• Parents
• Kids
• Transit Commuters
• Your Wallet
• Step’s to make a plan

Tips on emergency alerts and warnings

https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan

Emergency Supplies

In addition to your First Aid kits and Emergency Preparedness Plans, it is always useful to have an emergency supply list as well. Centers for disease control and prevention³ have supplied the list below.

Emergency Food and Water Supply:

At Least a 3-day Supply of Food and Water

• Water – one gallon per person, per day
• Food – foods that are easy to make and won’t spoil, like canned soup, dry pasta, and powdered milk
• Manual can opener
• Basic utensils to prepare and serve meals

Health Supplies

• 3-day supply of all medicines, at a minimum
• Medical supplies like syringes, a walking cane, or hearing aids with extra batteries

Personal Care Items

• Soap
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Baby wipes
• Contact lenses or glasses

Safety Supplies

• First aid kit
• Emergency blanket
• Multipurpose tool (that can act as a knife, file, pliers, and screwdriver)
• Whistle

Electronics:

Weather radio Canada operated by Environment Canada provides weather updates during emergencies. Look for a radio labeled “Weather Radio.”

• Flashlight
• Radio (battery-powered, solar, or hand-crank) for updates on the situation
• Cell phone with chargers
• Extra batteries

Documents

Keep copies of your important documents, cash, spare keys, and maps in you emergency supply kit.

• Copies of important documents such as insurance cards and immunization records
• Paperwork about any serious or on-going medical condition
• Your completed family emergency plan, complete with family and emergency contact information.

Let’s not forget about our pet’s! Having a Pet Emergency Kit is useful to have on hand if you have animals you will need to care for in an
emergency situation as well as yourself and family.

Pet Emergency Kit Checklist

• Water
• Food
• Medications
• Proof of Ownership
• Proof of Vaccinations

An Emergency Help List including a list of helpful neighbors and/or boarding facilities

• Leashes and/or Pet Carriers
• ID Tags

First Aid Kit including the telephone number for the nearest animal clinic, gauze to bandage an injury, hydrogen peroxide to disinfect a wound, and
milk of magnesia to absord poison should accidental ingestion occur

Creature Comforts including their bed, blankets, litter, towels, etc.

For more information on Emergency Basics, please visit the following websites:

Red Cross Canada

Government of Canada – Get Prepared

Canadian Disaster Animal Response Team

 

Sources:

Ready.gov¹

Get Prepared Canada²

Centers for disease control and prevention³