Importance of Being Prepared

   This week is emergency preparedness week; a time when the Emergency Management Office, RCMP, Fire Departments, and every other emergency service tries to inform the general public on the importance of being prepared. It's a great time filled with useful information and the announcement of new initiatives - Nova Scotia just launched a new Arabic language brochure on the use of 911 and emergency preparedness. That's the good news for the week.
   The bad news is that, while we ramp up efforts to get people informed on being prepared, there are wild fires raging on the other side of the country forcing thousands of people to be evacuated from their homes. The forest fires have been burning for a few days, but in a matter of a few hours it went from sitting on the city limits to jumping a highway and river to set the city of Fort McMurray ablaze. Neighbourhoods had started to be evacuated early in the day, but by the end of it the entire city, over 80,000 people, were placed under mandatory evacuation.
   Unfortunately this isn't an isolated incident. British Columbia is currently fighting forest fires, and five years ago there were evacuations due to the Slave Lake fires - also in Alberta. Unfortunately, if you have a forest in your country and you get a bout of hot and dry weather, you're susceptible to wild fires.
   I wish I could avoid using Fort McMurray to illustrate my point to try and be more sensitive to their current situation, but if not there it could be any other part of the country. Even here in coastal Nova Scotia, this time of year in 2009, 1,000 people had to be evacuated in my area due to forest fires. I know people who were effected then, and are being effected now.
   This all leads in to the main point I want to get across: you need to be prepared. When a disaster strikes you won't always be able to stay with your main resources, you may have to evacuate. When you're placed under mandatory evacuation you have minutes, mere minutes, to grab what you can and get out. When you're not sure when you will be back, or if your home will still be there, that creates serious chaos. Trying to decide on what to bring and what to leave can eat up valuable time. That's why it's important to have a bug out bag ready to go, you know that you have all of the necessary items already packed. Including all forms of ID, deeds, and insurance information.
   However, having a bag packed will only get you so far, you also need a solid plan. With the fires in Fort McMurray everyone was evacuated in a very narrow window of time. Though emergency services have been doing a great job of directing people and maintaining a safe evacuation, it had still caused serious gridlock outbound from the city. Another side effect is that gas stations started running out of fuel. That's not a great situation for people on the tail end of the evacuation who may have empty tanks. This is why planning is the base of the prepping pyramid. If you have a plan that takes into account the strain on traffic and resources you will be much better off. Having stores of food and fuel ready or in your vehicle can save you a lot of hassle. Having a plan to get you out of danger and to safety before everyone else can save your life.
   Unfortunately we have too many examples of why we should be prepared for anything, but that's exactly why we do. It can happen any time, any place, and it can happen quick. Take the time to read up on sites like Emergency Management Office, or other prepping blogs. Watch videos, borrow or buy books on the subject. The more you learn the better off you'll be.
   I wish the best to all the people dealing with disasters at home and abroad. I hope this post makes everyone think about preparedness more seriously and has been some amount of help to someone. As always, until next time. Be Prepared. Be Safe. Have Fun.