Preparing for Survival: Disaster at the Door - Volume One

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Prepper meet-up events have seen attendance spike in recent years, and an increasing number of people are seeking out information on prepper blogs — the Canadian Preppers Network blog, for example, receives more than 20, visitors each month. At its most basic, prepping is having the necessities on hand to survive for a brief period of time, usually about three days, without outside assistance.

As we have seen the fallout from natural disasters and other emergencies, from Hurricane Katrina to the Fort McMurray wildfires, despite the fears of the doomsday fringe, prepping for the majority of people is a matter of common sense. But by far the majority, like 95, 98 per cent, are your average family that is just looking for a safety net.

But there is still huge interest. Prepping is fundamentally about being self-reliant for a few days in the event that services we take for granted are unavailable, says De Nob, owner of the Canadian Preppers Network, a website dedicated to prepping that launched in Many preppers may be anxious about all the things that are out of their control in potentially dire circumstances and want to curb it with a range of supplies and skills.

But even the federal government says we should all have the basics at the ready. Public Safety Canada recommends that everyone should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least three days in the event of a natural disaster or some other emergency, with a kit that includes food and water, a can opener, wind-up or battery-powered flashlight, radio, first aid kit, extra keys for your house and car, cash and important family documents such as identification, insurance and bank records.

Too many Canadians have yet to assemble such a kit in their homes, says Laurie Pearce, an expert in disaster management at Royal Roads University, in Victoria. Less than half of Canadians have an alternative source of water and only 21 per cent have taken other emergency precautions, such as checking and replenishing emergency supplies, according to a Statistics Canada report released in Cost is one prohibitive factor, but apathy is another.

Jane, who lives in Georgina, Ont. She, too, has joined the Ontario Prepper Survival Network. Only 60 people attend the first annual meet-up. This year, the group expects more than people. Chisholm is prepped and ready, too, but he is reluctant to identify as a prepper.

And I could cut back on the food shop when my husband was temporarily asked to work three days a week instead of five, reducing his pay. My eldest daughter keeps a hour bag in her car.

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But, realistically, we are mostly likely to be affected by flooding or severe snow. There have been times when we have been cut off, unable to get out.

And if something happened at the house? We can be clear with everything we need for 72 hours within 20 minutes. We have a family go-bag in the loft: We all know the plan. Many years ago, while living in Australia, I was bitten by a snake. About 10 years ago I got into prepping seriously. What would I do? How would I survive?

These are the books you'll want to have read before disaster strikes.

This country is one of the safest in the world. We have no killer animals. There are no major tsunamis.

Keep up with Mother Nature

Or the electrical grid goes out and the food chain goes down and all of a sudden every man and his dog is arguing over a bag of sugar. Do you have your own supplies? Do you have the means to cook? And what about keeping warm — could you make a fire? Some of us buy food through an app; groceries are delivered to our front doors. Do people know how to survive without electricity? The difference between me and someone else? Plan a main exit route and an alternate exit route from each room. If you live in an apartment, plan to use the stairs instead of the elevators.

If you are unable to use the stairs, notify emergency personnel ahead of time. Also, identify an evacuation route from your neighbourhood in case you need to leave in a hurry and think of more than one option. Make copies of birth and marriage certificates, passports, licences, wills, land deeds and insurance. Take photos of family members in case a lost persons record is created. Keep them in a safe place, both inside and outside your home.

You might want to put them in a safety deposit box or give them to friends and family who live out of town. Learn about the emergency evacuation plans in place and what you will need to do. You may want to have some basic supplies at work, such as water and food that won't spoil, in case you need to stay put for a while. Ask your children's school or daycare about their emergency policies. Find out how they will contact families during an emergency. Find out what type of authorization the school or daycare requires to release your children to a designated person if you can't pick them up.

Make sure the school or daycare has updated contact information for parents, caregivers and designated persons. In case of an evacuation, remember that pets are not allowed in some public shelters or hotels. In case of an evacuation, prepare to take your pets with you to the home of a relative or friend, or take steps to identify pet-friendly hotels or pet boarding facilities in your area and further away from home.

Establish a personal support network of friends, relatives, health-care providers, co-workers and neighbours who understand your special needs. Keep a copy of this information in your emergency kit, and give a copy to your personal support network. Talk to your doctor about preparing a grab-and-go bag, if possible, with a two-week supply of medication and medical supplies. Include prescriptions and medical documents. Remember that pharmacies may be closed for some time, even after an emergency is over. Arrange for each family member to call, e-mail or text the same out-of-town contact person in case of an emergency.

Choose an out-of-town contact who lives far enough away that he or she is unlikely to be affected by the same event. If you are new to Canada or have recently moved to a new area, make arrangements through friends, cultural associations or community organizations.

Shaun Leonard: ‘I’ve organised escape routes’

Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector, smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and well-stocked first aid kit. If you live in an apartment, or if you are staying in a hotel, know where the fire alarms and at least two emergency exits are located. Make sure you have a fire extinguisher on every level of your home, including one in your kitchen. Everyone in your home should know where to find the fire extinguishers.

All capable adults and older children should know how to use it.

See instructions regarding the lifetime of your fire extinguisher and check with your local fire department for more information. Older children and adults should know how to turn off your home's water, electricity and gas. Make large, easy-to-see signs for water and gas shut-offs as well as for the electrical panel.

Teach children how and when to dial as well as how to call the designated out-of-town contact. Utility company phone number: For non-emergency calls, use the ten-digit numbers listed in your local phone book, or this emergency plan, for police, fire and other health services. When notifying emergency services of your location, provide the exact street or civic address and nearest intersection. Listen to the radio or television for information from authorities.

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