Your EMO eNews

March 13, 2023

PARKSVILLE - QUALICUM BEACH

COMMUNITY UPDATE

Home Emergency Kits

Getting prepared for an emergency doesn’t have to be intimidating. For the rest of the year, we’ll break down the steps to gradually put together an effective household emergency kit. Follow along each month and by December, you’ll have everything you need in a basic household emergency kit.

What is a home emergency kit?

A home emergency kit contains the necessities to keep everyone in your household safe for at least 72 hours in the event an emergency or disaster restricts the use of your regular accommodation and its services. This could mean you have no running water, no electricity, or the roads are inaccessible from your home.

The kit should be easy to access and portable so it can be set up in a safe location. A well-stocked home emergency kit is one of the most important ways you can help increase resilience in our communities. When households are ready to support themselves for at least 72 hours following an emergency or disaster, community emergency resources can be prioritized for emergency response and operations.

Watch this video from Emergency Management and Climate Readiness for an overview of what goes into a home emergency kit:

Building an emergency kit? Think "Camping at Home".

Step 1: Portable Container

Depending on the size of your household, this may be one large plastic container, or a few. Make sure the container has a well-fitting lid and is portable when full. Some people like to use stackable totes, others prefer wheeled garbage cans. Next, you’ll need to decide where to store the container. Examples of locations which are suitable include garages, shoe cupboards and secure storage sheds. Avoid storing containers in crawl spaces. Finally, label the container(s) so it may be easily identified by any family member.

That’s it!

You’ve completed the first step to creating a home emergency kit.

Check in next month for the next step.

JOIN THE TEAM!

If you are interested in joining the Oceanside Emergency Support Services (OESS) or Oceanside Emergency Communications Team (OECT), please contact Chris James at [email protected] or 250 937-0448. Previous emergency support services or emergency communications experience is not necessary as we provide you with the necessary training.

GET NOTIFIED DURING A LOCAL EMERGENCY

Emergency Notifications

In the event of an emergency, one of the ways Emergency Management Oceanside may notify you is by using alerts sent through Voyent Alert! notification system. This system allows community members to register online to receive messages relevant to their community through email, app, text message, or voice call. Registration for Voyent Alert! is free. Go to register.voyent-alert.com to sign up today.

Contact Kate at [email protected] or 250 954-4672 if you have any questions about the system or registration process.

GENERAL INFORMATION

Town of Qualicum Beach

Town Hall is open to the public with full services. Hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 am to 4 pm (except statutory holidays). Although the office is open, residents are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the other payment options including payment through your financial institution; mail a cheque; or drop off a cheque at Town Hall drop box (location below). If you do wish to visit Town Hall to conduct business, masks are recommended while in the building.

Email
Phone
Post
Mail Slot
Websites

[email protected]

250 752-6921

PO Box 130, Qualicum Beach V9K 1S7

Out front of Town Hall, near the fountain

qualicumbeach.com

qbfirerescue.com

In accordance with public health orders from the Province of BC, the public is welcome to attend to in-person Council meetings. Council and select staff will attend in person, capacity limits will be monitored, and if required, alternative viewing location(s) will be provided.