With its size, wide variety of regions and weather patterns, Canada comes with several emergency risks. What natural disasters are specific to which regions, and how can
Canadian Emergency Risks
The best way to remain protected as an individual or a family is to find out what the risks are for one's region. Common natural disasters in Canada include:
- Avalanches - Thousands of avalanches occur in Canada each year. They can take place in any region, but are more common in the mountains of British Columbia, Alberta and Yukon.
- Earthquakes - The coast of British Columbia is most at risk for earthquakes, but other regions at risk include the St. Lawrence and Ottawa River valleys, and parts of the three Northern Territories.
- Floods - The most frequent natural hazard in Canada, floods can occur any time of year.
- Hurricanes - Violent tropical storms that hit Eastern Canada between June and November.
- Landslides - Thousands of landslides occur every year in Canada but most are small. They occur in all regions but are most damaging in the mountainous region of British Columbia and Alberta and in the St. Lawrence Lowlands of Quebec and Ontario.
- Severe Storms - All regions of Canada, and in all seasons. Blizzards, hail, heavy rain, ice storms, lightning and thunder storms.
- Storm Surges - Storm surges consist of very high waves and high water levels caused by wind and air pressure, and often results in coastal flooding. These can occur along all coastal areas of Canada, and in large lakes, such as the Great Lakes.
- Tornadoes - Tornadoes are relatively common in Canada, if only in specific regions: southern Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, southern Ontario, Quebec, the interior of British Columbia and western New Brunswick.
- Tsunamis - These are a series of large waves that strike coastal areas. They can happen with little warning and result in flooding and damage to coastal communities, especially low-lying areas.
- Wildfires - The regions with the highest wildfire occurrence are British Columbia and the Boreal forest zones of Ontario, Quebec, the Prairie provinces and the Yukon and Northwest territories.
Other Types of Emergencies
- Bomb threats
- Chemical Release
- Nuclear emergencies
- Pandemic Influenza
- Power outages
- Suspicious packages
Make a Plan
An emergency plan should be specific to every family, and details should include:
- Safe exits from home and neighborhood
- Meeting places to reunite with family or roommates
- Designated person to pick up children should parents be unavailable
- Contact persons close-by and out-of-town
- Health information
- Place for pets to stay
- Regional risks
- Location of fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical box, gas valve and floor drain.
People with Disabilities
- Evacuation routes without elevator service
- Backup power supply for essential medical equipment
- Flashlight and cell phone on hand to signal for help
- Self-help network for assistance and checking on disabled during emergencies
- Medical alert program that signals for help if person is immobilized
- List of facilities that provide life-sustaining equipment or treatment
- List of medical conditions and treatments
- Advising apartment's property management that patients may need assistance if quarantined or need to be evacuated if there is a power outage will allow property manager to plan and make necessary arrangements on tenants' behalf.
It is essential to remain calm and make note of details that can be passed on to officials, to call for help, gather any people in one's vicinity and stay away from any unknown materials.
Copyright Sylvie Roy. Contact the author to obtain permission for republication.
Sylvie Roy - Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I studied Multidisciplinary Arts, where I dabbled in journalism, english ...
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