Emergency Preparedness Week: Unique weather challenges require staying informed and planning ahead

As each season brings unique challenges, the Region and its partners are using Emergency Preparedness Week (May 4 to 11) to remind people to stay informed and be ready.

Whether it's spring flooding and winds, summer heat, autumn power outages or winter storms, being ready for each season means knowing how to protect yourself, the people you care about and the community.

“Preparedness starts with you,” says Diane Schofield, Manager of Emergency Management at the Region of Waterloo.  “Emergencies do not wait, year-round readiness brings peace of mind when it matters most.”

Events will be held next week to help the public better understand seasonal risks and plan for them:

• May 3: “Flames of Change – How Galt Burned and Rose from the Ashes” – open house event hosted and led by Cambridge Fire Hall Museum and volunteers from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 56 Dickson St, Cambridge.
• May 6: Kitchener City Hall drop in to learn more about how to be better prepared from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
• May 7: Kitchener City Hall drop in from 1 to 4 p.m.
• May 9: City of Waterloo information event at the Waterloo Memorial Recreation Complex - Community Pavilion from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
• May 10: Kitchener Market drop by from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• May 15: Community Awareness and Emergency Response (CAER) Emergency Preparedness open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Woolwich Memorial Centre in Elmira.

Emergencies can happen anytime – be the first to know when they do with real-time updates. Subscribe to Alert Waterloo Region to receive notifications for floods, severe storms, hazardous spills, and other urgent situations.

If you have questions about subscribing or about being prepared for an emergency, email emergencymanagement@regionofwaterloo.ca.

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Stacey Abbott
Manager, Corporate Communications
City of Waterloo
stacey.abbott@waterloo.ca