Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs
May 5, 2014

The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Steve Kent, Minister of Municipal and Intergovernmental Affairs:

Emergency Preparedness Week 2014

Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in this Honourable House today to talk about Emergency Preparedness Week 2014, which takes place from May 4 to10.

Public safety is a top priority of the Provincial Government, particularly during emergency situations, and being prepared can make a huge difference, and save lives. Individuals, families, communities, and all levels of government should be ready to respond to any emergency that may occur.

Mr. Speaker, I strongly recommend all residents of the province to know the risks, make a plan and assemble an emergency kit. I would also like to encourage residents to visit getprepared.ca, for tips and basic directions about how to assemble a 72-hour emergency kit for their homes.

Emergency Preparedness week is an excellent opportunity for families and neighbours to engage with one another, and have conversations about how they can help each other during emergencies. By having these important discussions, residents will be better prepared to face any emergency situation that may arise.

Mr. Speaker, on a municipal level, communities are encouraged to update their emergency management plans and validate them through emergency exercises. Through Fire and Emergency Services-Newfoundland and Labrador, our government supports municipalities, government departments and agencies in developing, maintaining and exercising emergency management plans. We continue to stress the importance of this on a daily basis.

I would also like to highlight our recent participation in Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador’s Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management conference that took place last week in Gander. During this conference Fire and Emergency Services officials joined municipal leaders, the Canadian Red Cross, the Coalition of Persons with Disabilities NL, the media, and other stakeholders to learn from each other, and discuss the importance of emergency preparedness.

Finally, I would like to ask all Honourable members in this house today, are you ready? If not, start preparing immediately during Emergency Preparedness Week.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

2014 05 05                              2:30 p.m.