Emergency Preparedness Week May 1-7

EMERGENCY MEASURES ORGANIZATION--Emergency Preparedness Week May 1-7

Emergency situations often strike with little or no notice. Nova Scotians have witnessed first-hand the need to be prepared.

During National Emergency Preparedness Week, May 1-7, the province's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) is reminding Nova Scotians that it is everyone's responsibility to plan ahead and prepare for potential emergencies.

"Nova Scotia has proven to be a national leader in managing emergencies," said Ernest Fage, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act. "This is largely due to the emphasis we place on emergency planning."

The Emergency Measures Organization offers the following tips on how Nova Scotia families can prepare:

• Develop a family emergency plan;
• List emergency phone numbers and addresses by the phone;
• Prepare a home emergency kit;
• Prepare an emergency kit for your car;
• Select a common meeting place for your family;
• Choose one local and one distant family member or friend
  to call if your family gets separated during an
  emergency;
• Teach children how and when to call 911;
• Ensure your correct civic number is posted where it can
  be seen clearly from the roadway day or night;
• Take a first-aid course.

"National Emergency Preparedness Week serves as an important reminder that anything can happen anytime, anywhere. Having an emergency kit, at home and in the car, can minimize the impact of an emergency," said Mr. Fage.

The Nova Scotia Emergency Measures Organization works with a number of community-based support groups around the province that offer information and planning tips on how families can learn how to be better prepared.

For more information on emergency preparedness, visit EMO's website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/emo or dial toll-free 1-866-424-5620.