Emergency Preparedness Week

Prepare Now! Learn How! is the theme of this year's Emergency Preparedness Week, which runs from May 4 - May 10.

Oliver Langdon, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs and Minister responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) said, It's a perfect theme. EMO realizes the importance of being prepared for emergency situations; that is why we offer year-round training and education programs on specialized aspects of emergency planning."

Between 1996 and 1998, three disasters - the Saguenay River flood, the Red River flood and the ice storm of Eastern Canada - resulted in more than 9.2 billion dollars of damage and severely affected millions of people for extended periods of time. Closer to home, the residents of Badger and the West Coast are experiencing an unsettling time as the result of a flood that engulfed the municipalities earlier this year.

Emergency situations can occur in a variety of forms, from natural disasters such as hurricanes and flooding, to human-induced disasters such as chemical spills. These emergencies can cause people to be deprived of healthcare, access to communication, food, clean water, transportation, finances, education and employment.

Emergency Preparedness Week has been an annual event since 1995. Implemented as a joint effort between the federal and provincial governments, this national event serves to promote and enhance public awareness of Canada's emergency preparedness principles and emergency management system.

"Everyone must do their part to ensure that everything in our power is being done to protect our communities and our families against disaster," said Minister Langdon. "While it may not be possible to protect ourselves from all the adverse effects of disaster, we can be assured that knowing what the dangers are and how to protect ourselves against them will increase our level of safety and protection in an emergency situation."

Media contact: Lynn Hammond, Communications, (709) 729-1983.

2003 05 05                                     3:45 p.m.