OTTAWA,
ON, May 5, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the
Honourable Harjit S. Sajjan, President of the King's Privy Council
for Canada and Minister of
Emergency Preparedness and Minister Responsible for the Pacific
Economic Development Agency of Canada, issued the following statement:
"Today marks the 29th edition of Emergency
Preparedness Week, which is a great opportunity for Canadians to
prepare themselves for any emergency. With this year's theme being
"Be Prepared. Know your Risks" I encourage Canadians to learn about
the disaster risks that could affect their region and how to
prepare themselves, their families, and their homes.
When an emergency strikes, we have our first responders and
emergency management professionals to thank for their prompt
action, expertise, and bravery. We recognize and celebrate the
incredible work they do and I am personally appreciative for their
service, and for keeping our communities safe.
Climate change continues to have a significant impact on extreme
weather events and disasters that directly impact our communities.
We've seen an increase in frequency and severity of flooding,
wildfires, winter storms, heat waves and hurricanes, so it's
important now more than ever to increase our preparedness. This
includes becoming familiar with the actions you can take before
these emergencies occur.
We can all do our part to prepare for emergencies by knowing the
risks in our area. An important step that everyone can take is to
assemble an emergency kit, and to create a household emergency
plan. If you already have a kit and a plan, take this as an
opportunity to review them with your household members to ensure
they are current and include everything you need.
In addition, Public Safety is pleased to launch another round of
the social media challenge for your chance to win an emergency
preparedness kit. We encourage you to share on X or Facebook how
you and your household are prepared for emergencies by using the
hashtags #EPWeek2024 or #ReadyforAnything. Visit the EP Week
Challenge Rules and Regulations webpage for all details.
I invite you to follow our X account @Safety_Canada and Facebook
page Emergency Ready in Canada,
where we'll be sharing helpful preparedness tips on many hazards
that occur across Canada. For more
information, visit the Get Prepared webpage.
SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada