Emergency disaster preparedness kit

Last updated August 10, 2020
Reading time: 1 min
RelatedCoronavirus (COVID-19)FloodingMajor winter stormPeriod of intense cold

Having a kit already prepared means you can react faster in an emergency. Prepare in advance for a major storm, flooding, an industrial accident or any other disaster in Montréal. Follow the guidelines.

Prepare your emergency kits

With a home emergency kit, you can meet the basic needs of yourself and your family for at least three days, in case it’s not safe for you to leave your house. 

  • Your home emergency kit should include:
  • Drinking water: 2 litres per person per day
  • Non-perishable food
  • Manual can opener
  • Battery-powered radio
  • Battery-powered or hand-crank flashlight
  • Extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Candles and matches or lighter
  • A whistle so you can attract the attention of rescue teams

We suggest that you add other items to your emergency kit as needed, such as:

  • Extra water
  • Dust masks
  • Utensils
  • Garbage bags
  • Water purification tablets
  • Multi-function pocket knife
  • Basic tools (hammer, screwdriver, pliers)

Be sure to:

  • Store your emergency kit in a place that’s easy to reach, even in the dark
  • Show your family members the kit and where it is kept

Check the contents of your kit once a year and replace the water and non-perishable foods.

Some emergencies, like flooding, may force you to leave your home quickly. Be prepared for an evacuation! Your survival kit should contain the following:

  • Personal hygiene items: toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, toilet paper, hand sanitizer 
  • Blankets
  • Extra clothing and shoes
  • Cash and change
  • Duplicate keys for your home and car
  • Copies of your important records: identification documents, property deeds and insurance, wills, birth and marriage certificates, a list of people to contact in an emergency
  • Copy of your emergency plan: prepare this document in advance to save time and reduce the stress of dealing with an emergency

We suggest that you add any other items you may need to your kit:

  • Medications
  • Baby items
  • Pet items

All such items should be put in an easy-to-carry bag.

Prepare an emergency kit for your car and leave it in your car. It should contain the following:

  • Bottled water
  • Blankets
  • Extra clothing and shoes.
  • First aid kit, with a knife that can cut the seat belt
  • Candles and a lighter or matches, in an airtight container
  • Flashlight and batteries
  • Whistle
  • Road maps
  • Sand, salt or cat litter (non-clumping)
  • Small shovel, ice scraper, snow brush
  • Antifreeze or window-washing fluid
  • Jumper cables
  • Fire extinguisher
  • Traction aids
  • Emergency warning lights or road flares

Where can I buy a ready-made survival kit?

You can buy an emergency kit from the Canadian Red Cross. The Salvation Army also sells a basic survival kit and a kit for the car.

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