Red Cross urges public to heed severe weather as a call to action

The Canadian Red Cross is urging residents of York Region to consider recent weather events as a call to action for better personal preparedness.

"So many of us don't think about preparedness until it's too late," commented Beverly Verwey, disaster management coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross in the Region of York. "Being adequately prepared can save you and your family from significant discomfort when faced with an emergency such as a power outage."

The Red Cross offers the following tips for improved personal preparedness: + Know the risks in your community. + Always carry emergency cash. + Make an emergency plan and review it with your family. + Prepare a disaster preparedness kit for your home, making sure to consider a power outage when stocking your kit and including a radio with extra batteries or a crank (wind-up) radio.

"During this recent storm, a friend told me that she was pumping gas when the power went out and she was unable to pay because she didn't have any cash on hand," said Verwey. "She managed to leave something as collateral and went back when she had money, but people should consider the possibility that access to their financial institution could become unavailable for a prolonged period of time, which is often the case during a major power outage."

The Canadian Red Cross responds to thousands of disasters each year, ranging from house fires to floods and tornadoes. The Red Cross also recognizes the importance of adequate preparedness in order to minimize the impact of an emergency or disaster on individuals, families and communities. To help strengthen community resiliency, the Red Cross offers personal preparedness workshops in communities across Ontario.

"People can easily create their own kit and plan, and prepared kits and items such as crank radios are also available for purchase through the Red Cross," Verwey observed.

For more information about disaster preparedness, contact Verwey at (905) 830- 9565, ext. 223 or visit www.redcross.ca