(Newmarket-Aurora, ON) - The 15th annual Emergency Preparedness Week takes place from May 2 to 8, 2010. Emergencies may range from floods and tornados to chemical spills or a flu pandemic.

 “Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility,” said Newmarket-Aurora MP Lois Brown. “While governments at all levels are working hard to keep Canada safe, individual Canadians also have an important role to play. Ultimately, emergency preparedness starts at home. Emergencies can strike at anytime and anywhere, often with little or no notice. Everyone has a role to play in being better prepared.” 

This year’s event encourages Canadians to get an emergency kit, and to be self-sufficient for at least the first 72 hours of an emergency, while first responders help those in urgent need. Learn how quick and easy it is to become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere through a new emergency preparedness booklet issued by the Government of Canada. Use this guide to create your own emergency plan and the checklists to build a 72-hour emergency kit.

Emergency Preparedness Week is coordinated nationally by Public Safety Canada, in cooperation with provincial/ territorial emergency management organizations.  
To order your free “Emergency Preparedness Guide” contact Lois Brown’s office at 905-953-7515 or at Brown.L@parl.gc.ca or drop in at 16600 Bayview Avenue, Ste. 206, Newmarket (just south of Mulock).