Volunteer opportunity!

Are you interested in building a robust emergency plan for our community? We need help with expanding our response beyond home preparedness. Things like deciding an evacuation strategy, identifying muster points, and planning a communication approach if phones go down. If you’re interested, please click HERE.

Canadian Home Emergency Preparedness Checklist

  • ☐ Minimum 2 litres of drinking water per person per day, plus 2 litres for hygiene/cooking (3 days

    recommended; 7–14 days preferred in remote areas)

    ☐ Extra water for pets

    ☐ Non-perishable food (3–14 days)

    ☐ Manual can opener

    ☐ Foods that don’t require cooking (in case of power outage)

  • ☐ Extra warm blankets/sleeping bags rated for sub-zero temps

    ☐ Cold-weather clothing layers (toques, mitts, wool socks)

    ☐ Chemical hand/foot warmers

    ☐ Ice melt / traction aids (sand or kitty litter)

  • FIRE

    ☐ N95 respirators (for smoke)

    ☐ Air purifier/HEPA filter

    ☐ Fire-resistant clothing or cotton layers

    FLOOD

    ☐ Waterproof boots and clothing

    ☐ Sump pump backup power (battery or generator)

    ☐ Copies of insurance documents with overland flood coverage check

  • ☐ CSA-approved first aid kit

    ☐ Medications (7–14 days)

    ☐ Prescription copies

    ☐ Spare glasses/contacts

    ☐ Hand sanitizer/disinfecting wipes

    ☐ Sunscreen & bug spray (for summer emergencies or evacuations)

  • ☐ Portable battery banks (charged)

    ☐ Car charger or 12V adapter

    ☐ Backup power (generator, battery station) — only CSA-approved units

    ☐ Flashlights (avoid candles during windstorms/fire risk)

    ☐ Extra batteries

    ☐ Printed emergency contact list

    ☐ Family communication plan using texting (more reliable during network overloads)

  • ☐ Toilet paper

    ☐ Feminine hygiene products

    ☐ Soap & toothpaste/tooth brush

    ☐ Garbage bags

    ☐ Wet wipes

    ☐ Bucket with lid or camping toilet (useful during long outages or boil-water advisories)

  • ☐ Government-issued ID

    ☐ Provincial health card

    ☐ Insurance policies (home/auto/tenant)

    ☐ Mortgage/lease documents

    ☐ Birth certificates

    ☐ SB drive with digital backups

    ☐ Emergency plan + evacuation routes

  • ☐ Know how to shut off gas, water, and electricity

    ☐ Smoke alarms & CO detectors tested monthly (required by provincial building codes)

    ☐ Fire extinguisher accessible

    ☐ Sump pump tested (where applicable)

    ☐ Clear exits and pathways

    ☐ Create a “Go Bag” for quick evacuation

  • ☐ Winter tires (legal requirement in some provinces)

    ☐ Booster cables

    ☐ Ice scraper & snow brush

    ☐ Blanket or sleeping bag

    ☐ Roadside emergency kit

    ☐ Traction aid (sand/kitty litter)

    ☐ Small shovel

    ☐ Maintain at least half a tank of fuel

  • ☐ Food (1–2 weeks)

    ☐ Water

    ☐ Medications

    ☐ Carrier/crate

    ☐ Leash/harness

    ☐ Waste bags or litter

    ☐ Photo of your pet (in case of separation)

    ☐ Contact info for local humane society or regional emergency shelters that accept pets

download the bc home emergency plan here