CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS June 2007

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CUSTOMER CONNECTIONS June 2007

Are You Prepared?

After a long, cold winter, Canadians are welcoming the signs of summer. While most people associate summer with backyard barbeques, swimming at the lake, and vacationing, extreme weather is also an unfortunate reality of summer. Floods, wildfires and tornados are an annual occurrence in Canada. Knowing the risks, having a plan, and preparing a kit can help reduce the impact on you and your family.

According to a Public Safety Canada website, www.getprepared.ca, it can take 72 hours or more to mobilize a significant relief effort during an emergency. As such, Canadians are encouraged to plan ahead, taking steps to ensure that they can take care of themselves for a minimum of 72 hours, while emergency workers respond to those in the most critical need of help.

Public Safety Canada and provincial and territorial Emergency Management Organizations have put together a 3-step emergency preparedness plan for Canadians.

The 3 Steps

Know the Risks – Being prepared requires that you know the risks specific to where you live. Canada’s varied landscapes and diverse climates mean different considerations are required in preparing for emergencies – know your region.
Make a Plan – As with most things in life, being prepared means planning ahead. Having a plan and discussing the plan with your family will reduce the likelihood that you are caught off-guard in an emergency. You can create a plan online or download an emergency plan form that can be filled in by hand. It takes about 20-30 minutes to complete and is a great tool to facilitate the discussion with your family.
Prepare a Kit – The final step is having a proper emergency kit that provides the basic necessities to keep you and your family self sufficient for at least 72 hours. Most items recommended for a basic emergency kit can be found in your home, however you can buy 72-hour emergency kits as well.

Tools & Resources
Recent events, both within Canada and internationally have increased the importance of being prepared for emergencies, big and small. The Canadian government has pulled together a vast amount of information and resources, because when it comes to emergency preparedness and emergency management, we all have a role to play.

Emergency Preparedness at Home
Emergency Preparedness Week
Public Safety Canada
Non-Government Emergency Management Organizations

Emergencies and disasters are an unfortunate, sometimes uncontrollable reality of life. Take back some of that control and be prepared to take care of yourself and your loved ones for at least 72 hours.

Prevention and Early Detection of a Home Disaster – Keys to minimizing loss

It seems floods are becoming a more common home disaster right across Canada. According to the CMHC, basement flooding related insurance claims in Canada are estimated to be over $140 million annually. With changing weather patterns bringing more dramatic storms in every season, it is important that you are prepared in the event of a flood in your home.

Prevention through simple home maintenance is the key. We have prepared a short checklist for what you should do to help prevent a flood.

Ensure the grade of your lot slopes away from your home so water can not pool
Clean your eaves troughs annually to ensure they are free of leaves and other debris
Ensure that eaves troughs carry water to a location that is free of any potential blockages so water can drain freely away from your home
If you live in a low lying area that is prone to flooding, install a sump pump to remove excess water

Also, its important that you understand your home insurance policy and what you are covered for in the event of a flood.

Early detection can help save property. VOXCOM can provide you with flood/sump pump sensors that so we can notify you of a flood in you’re home whether you’re at home or away. Being able to react quickly could help limit the damage done to your home and belongings.

In addition to being prepared for a flood, you also need to understand what to do in the event of flood. Each member of your household should understand how to turn off the water main valve in your home, and you should have an Emergency Preparedness Kit ready for any type of emergency.

Find out more about how VOXCOM can help notify you so you can limit damage from home disasters such as floods, fires, and extreme temperatures. We’re looking out for you.

Learn more about flood prevention by visiting:

http://www.getprepared.ca/risks/floods_e.asp
http://www.redcross.ca/article.asp?id=004653&tid=025
http://www.cmhc.ca/en/co/maho/gemare/gemare_002.cfm

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