Make an Emergency Plan
It will take you about 20 minutes to make a family emergency plan online. Before you start, think about:
- Safe exits from home and neighbourhood
- Meeting places to reunite with family or roommates
- Designated person to pick up children should you be unavailable
- Contact persons close-by and out-of-town
- Health and insurance information
- Places for your pet to stay
- Risks in your region
- Location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical panel, gas valve and floor drain
Plan Components
Safe exits and meeting places: Identify safe exits from your home and neighbourhood. Decide on meeting places where you can reunite with family or roommates.
Contact information: Designate an out-of-area contact person and ensure all household members know how to reach them. Use non-voice channels like text messaging for emergencies, as these use less bandwidth than voice calls.
Designated child care: Have a designated person to pick up children should you be unavailable. Notify your school or daycare.
Health and insurance information: Include contact information for doctors, health care providers, and insurance details.
Pets: Identify where your pets can stay in an emergency.
Important documents: Keep copies of birth certificates, passports, wills, and insurance information in a safe location. Each family member should also know the location of your household emergency kits.
Know Your Utilities
Everyone in your household should know the location of your home's utilities: fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical panel, gas valve and floor drain. Local authorities may advise you to turn utilities off or leave them connected depending on the emergency.
Identify Local Hazards
What you need may depend on where you live. Check with your local, provincial, or territorial government to understand what emergency hazards are most likely in your area.
Create Your Plan
Visit GetPrepared.ca to create your family emergency plan online. You can print it and store copies at home and with your out-of-area contact.
Next Steps
Build your stay-at-home kit — Gather supplies to shelter for 72 hours.
72-Hour Kit Checklist — Complete organized checklist by category.