What should you pack in an emergency kit?

In 2015 more than 13,000 people had to leave their homes in northern Saskatchewan – many for an extended period of time. Now, the province is taking that as a lesson, and is reminding people to have an emergency kit ready to go.

“After last year I think we’re all a little bit more sensitive to the need to be ready for any type of emergency,” said Duane McKay, the province’s fire commissioner.

McKay went through the type of things you would need in the kit.

He listed things like a week’s worth of any prescription medications and a first aid kit, keys for home and vehicle, photo ID and health card. McKay also talked about bringing photos of children and family along in case they get separated, and bringing a hardcopy contact list in case a person’s cell phone dies.

McKay also talked about the need to bring some cash.

“Not extraordinary amounts of cash, but you should have a few hundred dollars with you that you should take and buy the things you need.”

He also mentioned including things like a favourite blanket or stuffed animal for small children.

“Those things are important, maybe not to us in survival, but to them. And certainly is they’re happy mom and dad are a lot happier as well.”

Other things like food, flashlights, and other things can be added afterward if there’s room

McKay said that it won’t necessarily be a wildfire or a flood that forces someone out of their home.

“It can be a smoke alarm or a CO alarm that goes off in our homes, in which case then you need to evacuate your home – not because of a major catastrophe, but just the fact that you have to be out of your home for a period of time.”