The countdown is over! It’s May 7—the start of Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week. Running from May 7 to 13, 2023, EP Week is a national event coordinated by Public Safety Canada in collaboration with the provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and private sector organizations.
What does EP Week mean for you and your organization?
EP Week is a reminder for us to be prepared for any type of emergency and encourages everyone to take these three simple steps:
Know the risks.
Make a plan.
Get, or build, an emergency kit.
These three steps can help businesses start implementing or building upon emergency plans and occupational health and safety procedures, to ensure your business is prepared for any emergency.
Keep your plan and emergency kit up to date
If you’ve already accomplished the steps above, you may be wondering what else you can do to take part in EP Week and ensure your business or organization is prepared for a disaster.
Developing a plan and getting prepared is not a one-time endeavor. It’s just as important, if not more, to keep your plan and emergency kit up to date, and to have your employees practice the plan—i.e., your response to an emergency situation. EP Week is a great opportunity to revisit and confirm your organization’s preparedness.
Practice makes perfect
Once you’ve developed a plan, or an outline of events and activities that will support your business’ objectives in the event of an emergency or disaster, it’s time to practice it. You can do this by holding a drill or an emergency training event that runs through your emergency plan and makes sure all employees are familiar with the procedures. Encourage management to promote and participate in these activities too. And don’t forget that evaluating your emergency policies and procedures is also essential.
Participate in EP Week
You can promote this important week by downloading any of the 2023 EP Week graphics from Public Safety Canada and sharing them with your colleagues and network. Sample tweets, articles and social media ideas are also available for your use.
Need help evaluating your emergency policies and procedures?
Our emergency management and business continuity team bring a diversity of experience and expertise to the task of helping organizations prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies. Contact us today and let’s get the conversation started.