The Canadian Red Cross will be holding Emergency Preparedness Week, from May 4 to May 10, with local Red Cross co-ordinators taking the opportunity to reach out to the community with tips and information on disaster preparedness.

"You should prepare to survive on your own for at least 72 hours after a disaster," says George Barker, Weyburn and Estevan Area Outreach Coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross. "Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after an emergency, but they may not be able to reach everyone right away."

Residents are encouraged to consider three things in preparing for disasters. First, they must know the risks. Knowing the risk in the community can help residents better prepare to face them.

"Risks in our community are always the things that we are not aware of, that is why residents should consider all the risks," said Barker. "Man-made risks, such as train derailments or gas leaks, are the ones that we have to seriously take precautions to prevent."

Secondly, residents should make an emergency plan. An emergency plan should include an escape route from the home or business, a meeting point and contact numbers and names for family members in other communities.

Thirdly, residents should prepare a survival kit. Survival kits should be filled with necessities needed to survive such as water, food, essential medicine, a flashlight and batteries, first aid supplies and extra clothing, amongst other things.

"It is important to include in your kit battery free items, such as wind-up flashlights or radios. Residents should also ensure they have a way to cook their food without electricity, a manual can opener will allow access to canned food and camping stoves that can be used inside are suitable for a lot of emergencies," said Barker.

The Canadian Red Cross does offer their own Disaster Preparedness Kit, which can be purchased from the Red Cross website at www.redcross.ca or by contacting a local Red Cross coordinator. Residents wanting to learn more about being prepared for emergencies can check the Red Cross website for more information.