Personal Preparedness

Individuals, families and businesses can support our community’s resiliency by being personally prepared for an emergency that may last up to 72 hours. It’s also important to ensure that all emergency plans and business continuity plans are in place.

In Edmonton, the most common risks for residents are:

Natural Threats/Hazards

Public health emergency
Extreme weather:
- Extreme hot/cold temperatures
- Floods
- Summer storms
- Tornadoes
- Winter storms

Human Threats/Hazards

Civil disorder
Terrorism

Technological Threats/Hazards

Energy supply emergency
Hazardous material releases/spills
Fires and explosions
Telecommunications failure
Transportation/rail incidents

This information is personalized for City of Edmonton residents to help them better protect themselves, their family members and their neighbours.

During a disaster or emergency, stay informed during an emergency by monitoring local radio, television and social media.

Be Prepared

Family / Emergency Contacts

Each family member and out-of-area contact should have a copy of all the contact numbers. For out-of-area contacts, choose family or friends that everyone can reach in an emergency. A friend or relative who lives in another part of your community should also be listed and may be used as a contact and/or evacuation location.

Identify the following for each Household Member:

Full name
Name of place of work / school
Home address
Work / cell number
Email address

Identify the following for each out-of-area Contact:

Full name
Name of place of work / school
Home address
Work / cell number
Email address

Emergency Kits

If an emergency happens in your community, it may take emergency workers some time to reach you. Be prepared to take care of yourself, family and pets for up to 72 Hours.

Home Kit

Cash and credit cards – include smaller denominations
Ready-to-eat and high-energy food
Manual can opener
Bottled water or water container with at least 4 litres per person per day
Water-purifying tablets
Lanterns, flashlights (with extra batteries), glow sticks
Candles with matches
Wind-up/battery-operated radios, extra batteries and alternate heat sources
First aid kit
Whistle (for each member of the family)

Vehicle Kit

Extra clothing including hats, gloves and scarves in cool seasons
Fully-charged cell phone and a car charger for your cell phone
Blanket
Ice scraper and brush in winter
Windshield washer fluid
Booster cables
Basic tools including a shovel
Sand or kitty litter
First aid kit
Reflective triangle
Flashlight, glow sticks
Small candle in a tin can, waterproof matches
Non-perishable high-energy food
Drinking water

Evacuation Kit

Emergency contact lists with phone numbers (for every member of your family)
Copy of this City of Edmonton Emergency Guide
Photos of each member of your family
Credit cards and cash – include small denominations
Insurance and important documents, and copies of government identification on external drive
Prescription and non-prescription medications
Special needs items for baby, elderly, disabled, pets
Extra clothes
Toiletry kit (for every member of your family)
Rolls of toilet paper
Whistle (for every member of your family)
First aid kit
Lanterns, flashlights (with extra batteries), glow sticks
Candles and waterproof matches
Wind-up/battery-operated radios, extra batteries and alternate heat sources
Bottled water or water container with at least 4 litres per person per day
Water-purifying tablets
Non-perishable food
Manual can opener
Sets of utensils (for every member of your family)
Hand sanitizer
Garbage and recycle bags
Games/toys to pass the time

Evacuation Pet Kit

Photo(s) of your pet(s)
Traveling bag or sturdy carrier and blanket
Extra leash/harness
Food and water
Feeding dishes
Medications
Disposable litter trays (aluminum pans)
Litter or paper towels

Insurance

Can you afford to pay for damage and/or replace all your belongings at once if they were lost due to fire or water damage? Insurers will be there to help when disasters strike, but a little preparation can go a long way to minimize the impact of an emergency.

Whether you rent or own your home, when your insurance policy comes up for renewal and before you contact your insurance professional, make a list, take photos or video of the key details about your residence and belongings to ensure your property is properly protected. Store your inventory list, photos and videos on an external drive outside of your home, such as a bank safety deposit box.

If you are a post-secondary student living away from home, check with your parents’ insurance company to make sure you’re covered under their homeowner policy.

Insurance Bureau of Canada: Phone 1-800-377-6378 (Toll Free)

Emergency Events

Evacuation

When you are instructed to evacuate because of a disaster or major emergency, do so at once.

If a large number of homes are affected, authorities will likely establish a reception centre. You may choose to stay at the reception centre or go elsewhere. Ensure you register in person everyone with you at the reception centre.

Shut off utilities if instructed to do so
Take your evacuation kit
Take care of your pets
Lock up your home
Register at the reception centre - even if you choose not to stay at the reception centre
Listen to the radio or TV and follow instructions
Monitor City of Edmonton social media for updates

Shelter-in-Place

Shelter-in-place means take immediate shelter indoors. This could be at home, work or school.

Be aware of your work or school emergency response plan and any direction provided while at your workplace or school. You may want to have some basic supplies, such as water and food that won’t spoil, in case you need to stay put for a while. You may want to raise this question with your employer and colleagues as well.

Act quickly when told to “shelter-in-place”
Follow the instructions of local authorities
Go inside
Close all windows and doors
Turn off furnace and exhaust fans
If air quality is poor, seal an inside room with wet towels at the base of the door. Breathe through a damp towel to filter air
Listen to the radio or TV for further instructions
Monitor City of Edmonton social media for updates

Shelter-in-Place Fact Sheets

Influenza

Influenza is an infection of the lungs and airways caused by a virus. It usually affects people in Alberta from November until April. You can protect yourself and keep it from spreading by taking some precautions.

Limit the spread of germs and prevent infection.

Wash your hands often, using plenty of soap and warm water
- If this is not possible, use alcohol-based hand sanitizer liquids
Cover coughs and sneezes with tissues
- If you can, cough into your sleeve
Stay away from others as much as possible when sick
- If you become sick, stay home from work and school
Get an annual flu shot
Get plenty of rest and strive to stay healthy with proper nutrition and exercise

Alberta Health Services: Phone: 8-1-1 (Health Link) Health information and advice 24-hours a day from a registered nurse.

Utilities

Click Before You Dig

Avoid damaging gas, electric and utility lines that may be buried a few inches underground.

Whether you are landscaping, building a new fence or deck, or simply planting a garden, disturbing the ground on your property can cause damage to a buried utility.

The result of contact with a buried line can range from loss of an essential service for you or your neighbours to serious injury or fatalities. The financial costs of repairing any damage you cause to a buried utility will be borne by you, the excavator.

Contact Alberta One-Call to request that the buried utilities on your property be located and marked at least two full working days, and up to 14 days in advance in spring and fall, before you plan to dig.

Alberta One-Call: Phone 1-800-242-3447 (Toll Free)

Electricity

Report downed power lines immediately to 911 or EPCOR Power Trouble at 780-412-4500.

Include exact location of the downed line.

Always assume that downed lines are energized
Keep back a minimum of 10 metres (33 feet) from the wires or anything in contact with the wires
Warn others in the area of the danger, and have them stay back

If a power failure affects your whole street or area, locate your home emergency kit. Stay tuned to your radio station and social media for more information.

Tips for an extended power outage:

Turn off all electrical appliances and equipment
Keep fridge and freezer closed as much as possible
Stay warm. Gather family members in the warmest room in the house. Dress in layers, draw drapes or cover windows to prevent heat loss.
Do not use camp stoves, kerosene heaters or barbecues indoors as they emit carbon monoxide. Gas stoves used as a heat source for long periods without ventilation will do the same.
Ensure generators are placed outside and are well-ventilated

EPCOR 24-Hour Emergency Services: Phone 780-412-4500, visit EPCOR website or follow them on X (formerly Twitter).

Natural Gas

ATCO Gas responds immediately to calls and emergencies involving:

Natural gas odour (rotten egg odour)
Hit or ruptured natural gas lines
Carbon monoxide
Natural gas service disruptions
Natural gas furnaces not working in cold weather

If you smell natural gas inside a building:

Leave lights and appliances alone
Leave the building immediately
Call 911

If you smell natural gas outside a building:

Call 911 or ATCO Gas immediately
Keep people away from the area
Do not smoke or light any flames

ATCO GAS 24-Hour Emergency Services: Phone 780-420-5585 (Edmonton and area), visit ATCO website or follow them on X (formerly Twitter).

Weather

Summer Storms

Summer storms can bring heavy rain, high winds, hail, intense lightning and even tornadoes, all of which can cause loss of life, injury, and property damage.

Remain indoors. “When thunder roars, go indoors.”
If you’re inside during a tornado, go to the basement or get under a heavy table or desk. Stay away from windows, outside walls and doors.
If you’re outside, find shelter or crouch in a ditch, culvert or ravine with your feet together and your head down, being mindful of water accumulation
Keep away from trees, power and telephone lines
Subscribe to Alberta Emergency Alerts on your smartphone or computer
Listen to the local radio or TV station

Winter Storms

Winter storms bring the dangers of high winds, extremely low temperatures and heavy snowfall or freezing rain.

Dress for the weather
Cover mouth and nose in extreme cold
If caught in a blizzard, seek shelter and wait out the storm
Use public transportation if possible
Ensure you have at least half a tank of gas and a travel kit in your vehicle
Carry a cell phone and charger in your vehicle
Subscribe to Alberta Emergency Alerts on your smartphone or computer
Listen to the local radio or television station

Floods

Edmonton receives an average of 400 millimetres (15 inches) of rain a year from May to October.

During major rainstorms or rapid snowmelt, the sheer volume of water can back up drainage and sewer systems, and flood basements. In most cases, you can prevent this from happening by taking a few simple, yet effective steps:

Install a flood-proofing device, such as a backwater valve to keep rainwater and sewage from backing up into the basement
Extend downspouts at least 1.8 metres (6 feet) from basement wall and drain towards a street or back lane
Check eavestroughs regularly for debris, leaks, poor connections, or sagging
Waterproof cracks in your foundation walls or sidewalks with silicon every three to five years

Flash Floods
A flash flood is a rapid rise of water that can be caused by heavy rainfall in a very short period of time.

Get to higher ground
Avoid already flooded areas and fast-flowing water
Avoid entry to barricaded/fenced off areas and obey all signs
Immediately get out of a stalled vehicle in rising water
Subscribe to Alberta Emergency Alerts on your smartphone or computer
Listen to the local radio or television station

Heat Stress Hazards

Heat stroke and heat exhaustion are 2 bodily responses to our body temperatures becoming elevated beyond normal temperature range due to environmental factors. Stay vigilant and watch out for the signs and symptoms:

Early Warning Signs of Heat Exhaustion

Headache
Dizziness, faintness
Irritability, anger, mood change
Fatigue
Heavy sweating
Heat rash (prickly sensation)
Muscle cramps
Changes to breathing and increased pulse rate
Dehydration

Signs of Heat Stroke

Having trouble catching your breath
Weak rapid pulse
Severe headache
Severe muscle cramps
Confusion
Skin goes from feeling cold and clammy to hot and dry
Severe dehydration
Sweating may stop
Exhaustion
Coma

Preventing Heat Stress Hazards

If in a hot environment, or directly under strong sunlight, reduce the level of physical activity by slowing your pace, increasing rest breaks, and substituting demanding activities for lighter tasks
If possible, plan your time outdoors for different times of the day, when direct sun exposure can be minimized
Allow time for acclimatization to the temperature of the environment you are in
Develop and follow a work/rest schedule to allow sufficient time for the body to cool down and rest, based on the temperature and level of physical exertion in the heat
Stay hydrated by drinking about 1 cup of water for every 15-20 minutes of physical exertion in heat
- Do not drink coffee or alcohol as this will dehydrate the body quickly
Monitor for signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke to help keep your family members, friends, or coworkers safe and healthy

Wildfire Smoke and Air Quality Hazards

During the spring and summer, wildfire smoke is one of the biggest contributions to air quality hazards when at home and at work. During heavy smoke conditions, everyone is at risk. Smoke inhalation may lead to serious health effects, especially in children, pregnant women, the elderly, those with lung and heart conditions, and anyone involved in strenuous outdoor work.

Monitor the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and weather advisory alerts for the current smoke risk level and the recommended actions to take during these conditions
Limit outdoor activity and strenuous physical activities as much as possible
- Reduce or stop these activities if you begin to have difficulty breathing
If possible, stay indoors with the windows closed
- If you are at home, turn off your furnace and air conditioner as it may draw smoke indoors
If you are in a vehicle or work out of a vehicle, keep the windows closed as much as possible and set the ventilation system to recirculate to prevent smoky air being drawn into the vehicle
Review your work area’s hazard control measures in place if working outdoors when air quality is poor

Phone	311
TTY	780-425-1231

Phone

311

TTY

780-425-1231

Natural Threats/Hazards

Human Threats/Hazards

Technological Threats/Hazards

Be Prepared

Home Kit

Vehicle Kit

Evacuation Kit

Evacuation Pet Kit

Emergency Events

Utilities

Weather

Contact Us

Office of Emergency Management

Personal Preparedness

Natural Threats/Hazards

Human Threats/Hazards

Technological Threats/Hazards

Be Prepared

Home Kit

Vehicle Kit

Evacuation Kit

Evacuation Pet Kit

Emergency Events

Utilities

Weather

Related Links

Emergency Preparedness for Pets

Contact Us

Office of Emergency Management