Bimose Tribal Council's Technical Services department wishes you a safe summer. Join us in observing Emergency Preparedness Week, happening from May 5-11, 2024! We're sharing daily safety tips to help you and your families with your emergency preparedness.
We will also be running a giveaway contest on our Bimose Facebook page where you can win your very own Emergency Safety Kit, valued at over $100.
Emergency Preparedness Week: Tips from Bimose Technical Services
- MAKE A PLAN. Create an emergency plan with your family! Draw a floor plan with all exits, set a meeting area, and know your community's evacuation route. Stay safe and stay prepared! To get started, take a few minutes with everyone in your household to make and practice a home fire escape plan using this guide from Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs: https://www.oafc.on.ca/public-safety/fire-escape-plans.
- PREPARE AN EMERGENCY KIT. Create a 72-hour emergency preparedness kit full of essential items! During an emergency you may have no electrical power or be asked to evacuate. Create an emergency preparedness kit with essential items for you and your family for 72 hours and check the contents twice a year to ensure freshness of food and water. For a full list of kit essentials visit: https://www.ontario.ca/page/be-prepared-emergency.
- WHEN PLANNING, REMEMBER YOUR PETS. Pets are members of our households too, so be sure to include your furry friends when developing your emergency plan. Bring you pets indoors at the first indication of an emergency. If you have to evacuate, take your pets with you, only if it is safe to do so. For tips on what to include in your pet’s emergency survival kit, check out Emergency Preparedness - Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.
- BE FLOOD-READY. Stay safe during floods. Floods can strike anytime, but spring and early summer are the most high-risk periods. Heavy rain, snowmelt, or storms can trigger floods, especially with climate change on the rise. Be prepared:
- Follow evacuation alerts and orders
- Stay tuned to local news for update
- Use safe water sources
- Turn off electricity in flood-prone areas
- Move valuables to higher ground
- KNOW YOUR ENVIRONMENT. Know the risks to your community and surrounding area. In Northwestern Ontario we face many risks related to the environment. Knowing the risks in your community can help you better prepare. Ensure you are able to take of yourself and family for 72 hours. Risks in our area include: flooding, wildfires, extreme heat, extreme cold, snow storms, power outages, and tornados.
- MAKE YOUR HOME FIRE SAFE. Always ensure you have a working smoke alarm, this will increase your ability to get out of your home during a fire. Fire can spread rapidly through your home, leaving you with little time to escape once the smoke alarm sounds. Ensure you have a home evacuation plan in place and a meeting place predetermined. Check out https://www.oafc.on.ca/public-safety to learn about ways you can make your home safe.
- BE AWARE OF LOCAL FIRES & SMOKE. Don't wait for danger to strike! Be prepared, know your evacuation plan, and stay informed with online tools like these tools. If you are instructed by emergency officials to evacuate, do so immediately. Safety first!
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- Interactive Fire Map: Forest Fire Info Map (gov.on.ca)
- Active smoke forecast: https://firesmoke.ca/forecasts/current/
How to Enter the Giveaway
- LIKE US on Facebook @bimosetribalcouncil
- TAG friends in the comments.
Each Share & Tag = 1 Entry.
One (1) Emergency Safety Kit will be awarded. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on Tuesday, May 14, 2024. Contest closes Saturday, May 11, 2024 at 11:59 pm CST.
To win, you must Like Bimose Tribal Council on Facebook. The winner will be announced by Facebook post and contacted by Facebook Direct Messenger. The winners must respond within 48 hours, or an alternate winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way endorsed or sponsored by Facebook.
Prize is valued at $115 and consists of:
- (1) LED FLASHLIGHT WITH KEYCHAIN
- (2) BANDAID DISPENSER
- (2) EMERGENCY BLANKETS
- (1) FAMILY FIRST AID KIT
- (2) HOT/COLD PACK
- (1) COOLING TOWEL
- (1) REUSABLE BAG
- (1) KIDDIE™ TALKING SMOKE AND CARBON MONOXIDE ALARM
- (1) Book - Fire Smart Landscaping Guide
- (1) Book - FireSmart Canada Blazing the Trail: Celebrating Indigenous Fire Stewardship
- (1) Book - FireSmart: Protecting Your Community from Wildfire
- (1) Booklet – FireSmart Homeowner’s Assessment
- (1) Booklet – FireSmart: Homeowner’s Manual: FireSmart Begins at Home
Bimose's Technical Services team is here to help our First Nation Communities with Fire Prevention and Emergency Management. If you have any questions about safety and emergency management our team we can be reached Monday to Friday 8:30 am to 4 pm CST, excluding holidays.
Dave Crow, Fire Prevention Officer at dcrow@bimose.ca
Elizabeth Blyth, Emergency Management Coordinator at eblyth@bimose.ca