As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, the City of Portage la Prairie is reminding residents about a key tool to help them stay safe in a crisis: the Citizens' Emergency Quick Reference Guide.
Brad Bailey, fire chief, director of public safety and municipal emergency coordinator, says the guide offers essential information in a straightforward format.
The guide is available both in print and online.
“You can go down to City Hall or you can come to the fire hall and we can get you a paper copy or it is also available online on the City of Portage’s website,” Bailey said.
Bailey notes the guide was created to give residents quick access to the information they need when facing an emergency.
“The guide is a great reference for our local citizens. It’s a quick and easy one stop shop,” he said. “It has different headings. It has all the emergency phone numbers you need and it gives good information on what to do in different situations like severe weather, travel, wind chill, extreme heat, hail, heavy rainfalls and flooding, hazardous materials released, personal safety, you know, loss of utility.”
The guide includes scenarios that could affect both the city and the surrounding Rural Municipality of Portage.
Bailey emphasized the importance of planning ahead.
"We like our citizens to be prepared, as much as we can. We all remember back to the ice storm and we all learned a lot that we need to be prepared for these extreme weather events.”
Emergency Preparedness Week, which runs from May 5 to 11, is a national awareness initiative and an opportunity for Canadians to take action to ensure they’re prepared to protect themselves, their families and their communities.
This year’s theme is "Be Prepared. Know Your Risks". The campaign encourages residents to understand the risks in their area and learn what actions they can take to stay safe.