Emergency Preparedness

• Learn what to do in an emergency by checking out hazards that could impact your neighbourhood or community. 
• Read your Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP), to learn more about the plan that are currently in place for your specific community. 

• Before you make you plan, remember to read the Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP) created specifically for your community. This will tell you important information about hazards, evacuation routes and where to find reliable information.
• Make a household emergency plan. Discuss with all family and household members what you will do in the event of an emergency. Find full details on what to include in your emergency plan here. 
• Check your insurance:
  • Coverage is available for most major disasters including fire, lightning strikes, windstorms, hail, tornadoes, and others
  • Make sure your policy includes sewer back-up insurance
  • Keep a detailed paper and/or video inventory of your home or business and keep it in your emergency kit
  • Keep all your important documents in a safe location that is easily available
  • Know what your insurance company requires, should you need to make a claim
  • Be aware that government disaster recovery programs will not compensate for damage and loss for which insurance was readily and reasonably available before the disaster occurred
• Audit your home:
  • Check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
  • Make sure no flammable materials are kept near electrical equipment or your furnace
  • Check for frayed electrical cords or overloaded circuits
  • Identify all potential exits
  • Learn how to turn off your water and electricity safely
  • Locate safe rooms in your home

Each neighbourhood and community have a primary and secondary evacuation route. You can find the routes for your community in your Community Emergency Management Plan (CEMP)

Always have an emergency kit or "go bag" ready with supplies to support you and your family for up to 72 hours. 

Basic Items:

• Water – two litres of water per person per day (include small bottles)
• Food – canned, package or non-perishable food for each member of the family (include a manual can opener)
• Wind up or battery-powered flashlight (and extra batteries)
• Wind up or battery-powered radio (and extra batteries)
• First aid kit
• Extra keys for your car and house
• Cash, travelers' cheques and change
• Important family documents

Additional Items: 

• Two additional litres of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning
• Candles and matches or lighter (place in a sturdy container)
• Change of clothing and footwear for each household member
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each household member
• Toiletries and personal hygiene items
• Hand sanitizer, toilet paper and garbage bags
• Prepaid phone card and/or mobile phone charger
• Pet food and supplies
• Infant formula, baby food and supplies
• Activities for children like books, puzzles or toys
• Prescription medication and medical equipment
• Utensils, plates and cups
• Household chlorine bleach or water purifying tablets
• Basic tools (hammer, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, work gloves, and pocketknife)
• Small fuel-operated stove and fuel
• Whistle
• Duct tape

Have a Vehicle Kit

• Sleeping bags or blankets
• Small shovel, scraper, and snowbrush
• Roadmaps
• Sand, salt, or non-clumping kitty litter
• Tow rope
• Anti-freeze/windshield washer fluid
• Jumper cables
• Warning light or road flares
• Traction mat
• Compass
• Roll of paper towels
• Axe or hatchet
• Methyl hydrate (for fuel line and windshield de-icing)
• All-purpose fire extinguisher (rated A-B-C)

Shelter-in-Place Items

During some emergency event, you may be asked to shelter-in-place. This means to stay inside of your home until authorities say it is safe to leave again. In this case, there are some additional items you might want to have on hand:

• Plastic sheeting (to seal windows, vents, and doors)
• Duct tape
• Towels (to block the bottom of the doors)
• Garbage bags
• An alternative heat source and an adequate supply of fuel (make sure there is adequate ventilation)

The following are the rules (“Rules”) for the Emergency Preparedness Week Colouring Contest (the “Contest”) being administered by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (“RMWB”).

1. ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible for the Contest, entrants must be legal residents of the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and be twelve years old or younger at the time of entry and a guardian must agree to these Rules.

2. HOW TO ENTER

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. To enter, entrants must submit a fully coloured Colouring Sheet with entrant’s name, grade/age and school. The Contest shall run from Sunday, May 3, 2026, 12:00 a.m. MST to Saturday, May 9, 2026 11:59 p.m. MST (the “Contest Period”) after which time no further entries will be considered. Only one entry per person will be considered.

3. SELECTION OF WINNER

Upon completion of the Contest, a RMWB representative shall review the eligible entries submitted and choose a winner at random. The potential winner will be contacted through the school office on May 15, 2026 at approximately 11:00 a.m. and will have until May 18, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. to respond by email to emergency.management@rmwb.ca with their direct contact information to arrange for prize pick-up. If the selected winner does not respond in the allotted time, another winner may be selected at RMWB’s sole discretion.

4. PRIZE

There are three Prizes available to be won. The prizes are based on age brackets; Under 6 years old Bluey basket; Age 6-8 years old Minecraft basket; Age 9-12 years old Puzzle basket. The approximate value of each prize is one hundred dollars (CDN$100). The Prize is not redeemable for cash and must be accepted as offered without substitution. The odds of winning the Prize depend on the total number of eligible entries received.

5. RELEASE

The Winner will be required to execute a Winner release form (“Release”) that confirms Winner’s: (i) eligibility for the Contest; (ii) acceptance of the Prize as offered; (iii) release of RMWB, its employees, and elected officials from any and all liability for any loss, harm, damages, cost or expense arising out of participation in the Contest or the acceptance, use, or misuse of the Prize, including but not limited to costs, injuries, losses related to personal injuries, death, damage to, loss or destruction of property. The executed Release along with the correct answer to the skill testing question must be returned within five (5) business days of the date of verification as a Winner or the selected entrant will be disqualified and the Prize forfeited.

6. GENERAL

By participating in the Contest, you agree to

• abide by these Rules and the decisions of RMWB which shall be final and binding in all respects. Entrants who have not complied with these Rules are subject to disqualification.
• the public disclosure of the minor’s name for media reporting purposes.
• the public disclosure of the minor’s name being on the municipal website and any other advertising medium (including but not limited to) radio and newspaper.

Notwithstanding the defined Contest Period, RMWB reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to terminate the Contest, in whole or part, and/or modify, amend or suspend the Contest, and/or these Rules in any way, at any time, for any reason without prior notice.

The RMWB is in no way responsible for incorrect or inaccurate prize form entries.

The RMWB is not liable for any losses, damages, claims and actions of any kind resulting from the interactions with the Prize including, without limitation, personal injuries, death and property damage.

The RMWB is not responsible for any additional expenses not specifically included in the Prize.

The RMWB is not responsible for any technical problems, including computer, software, hardware, internet connectivity or website availability/accessibility issues, and assumes no responsibility for any injury or damage to an entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from downloading any materials in this contest.

Personal information collected to enter the Emergency Preparedness Week Colouring Contest is collected under the authority of Section 4(c) of the Alberta Protection of Privacy Act (POPA) and is managed in accordance to this act. Any personal information you have provided will be used to contact you if you win the Contest. From May 3 to 9, 2026, all eligible entrants will be automatically entered into a draw to win a prize basket depending on their age category. During this time, the personal information you provided will also be used to enter the contest. Guardians of entrants will be required to successfully answer a skill testing question. If you have any questions regarding the collection or use of your personal information, contact RMWB Pulse at 780-780-743-7000, 1-800-973-9663 or rmwb.ca/Pulse.

In the event of a dispute as to who submitted an electronic entry, the entry will be deemed to have been submitted by the authorized account holder of the email account associated with the entry. “Authorized account holder” of the email account is defined as the natural person who is assigned an email address by an internet service provider, service provider or other organization (i.e. business, school, etc.).

The Contest is subject to all applicable laws of the province of Alberta and the laws of Canada applicable therein.