The Government of Saskatchewan is reminding everyone to be prepared in case of an emergency on this, the 21 annual Emergency Preparedness Week.

In the last two years, approximately 14,000 Saskatchewan residents have been evacuated from their homes do to emergency situations like forest fires and floods. Yet most do not have an emergency plan in place.

The government had a few things it wants to encourage people to do:

Make An Evacuation Plan. Think about what you would need if you had to leave your home quickly, like prescription medicine or important papers. It's also a good idea to notify family or friends that you are leaving.

Pack An Emergency Preparedness Kit. Ask yourself what your family would need to survive for 72-hours. Experts recommend you include the following:

  • water
  • non-perishable foods
  • a flashlight
  • batteries
  • a radio
  • a first aid kit
  • prescription medications
  • cash
  • copies of your family’s health cards and other identification

The government has also set up a website to help you prepare your 72-hour emergency kit that you can see here.

Check Your Alarms. Both smoke and carbon monoxide alarms should be tested and have batteries replaced regularly.

Download SaskAlert. The Government of Saskatchewan has an emergency alert app that you can get for your android or iOS device. You can get it from your app store, or at www.SaskAlert.ca.

The Twenty-first Annual Emergency Preparedness Week runs from May 7 to 13.