Partnership between province and retailers will see more emergency supplies on shelves

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – While floods and wildfires aren’t much of a concern in Metro Vancover, the threat of earthquakes, power outages and severe weather is very real.

To encourage more people to be prepared in the event of an emergency, a new partnership between the province and retailers will see emergency preparedness front and centre in stores.

“So when you’re pushing your cart around the store there will be merchandising that tells you ‘Put this in your kit,’ such as if you’re in the battery section,” explains Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness.

So far, Save-on-Foods and London Drugs have joined in the new Partners in Preparedness Program but the province hopes there will be more.

Stores will also have ready-made shopping lists to help people find the supplies they need and can customize the program to the specific hazards in their area: earthquake, wildfire, flood, power outage and sever weather.

“We know from our Ipsos Reid survey that a lot of British Columbians don’t have emergency preparedness kits so we want to change that,” says Carol McClintock, Executive Director, Organizational Learning and Public Education at Emergency Management BC “And this is one way of really getting the message out to shift behaviors to encourage enhanced preparedness for enhanced resilience.”

In addition to food and water to last 4 days, an emergency kit should have first aid supplies, flashlights (and batteries), a battery powered or hand crank radio, whistle to signal for help, medicine, some cash, dust masks and comfortable clothing. There should also be anything that your family specifically needs, like pet food.

May 6th marks the start of Emergency Preparedness Week.

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today