We are now officially in wildfire season, and cottages on woodlots and in forested areas are at an increased risk for wildfire damage. Public Safety Canada warns that wildfire risk remains high this summer, and it is important to be prepared in case you need to evacuate, especially for cottagers in more remote locations who can’t easily drive home. While you should have an emergency kit in your cottage, in the case of a wildfire, you’re going to want to have a grab-and-go emergency bag on hand.
What’s the difference between the two? An emergency kit is for when you have to shelter in place and includes everything you need for three to seven days. On the other hand, a grab-and-go kit is a smaller version of your emergency kit that can be carried with you in case you need to evacuate. These are good for events such as landslides, flooding, and wildfires.
Everyone in your home should have their own grab-and-go bag tailored to their needs. It is ideal to have one at home, in your car, and at work in case you need to leave before you are able to get home.
What to include:
- A 12 hour supply of ready-to-eat food (such as energy bars or meal replacement drinks)
- Water—one litre or more per person
- Flashlight
- Extra batteries
- A phone charger and a fully charged portable charger
- A hand-crank or battery-powered portable radio
- A small first-aid kit
- Copies of important documents, such as identification, insurance papers, health records, phone numbers etc.
- A copy of your family emergency plan
- A local map
- Cash, preferably in small bills
- Pen and paper
- Two to three changes of seasonally appropriate clothing a
- An emergency blanket
- Items that you use daily might not be able to go in the grab-and-go bag, instead they should be kept in an easily accessible place in case of emergency
- Personal medications, glasses, contact lenses, and toiletries
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