Emergency preparedness

How you can prepare

Planning for emergencies doesn’t need to be hard, and the good news is you might be more prepared than you think. 

Review the 5 steps to preparedness or watch the video External website, opens in new tab to get started.

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  Know your hazards

  The first step in personal preparedness is to know the hazards which could impact you where you live, work, and spend time.

  Learn about the top hazards of concern that could become emergencies in Vancouver.

  Launch the interactive Hazard & Risk Explorer to find local information about earthquakes, extreme heat, wildfire smoke, and coastal flooding.

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  Make your plan

  It’s as simple as starting a conversation with your loved ones.

  An emergency plan outlines steps for responding to disasters and reuniting with loved ones. Start with a home emergency plan template, such as the Prepared BC fill-in-the-blanks emergency plan External website, opens in new tab.

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  Gather your supplies

  What would you need if you had to leave your home quickly or if you had to stay where you are for multiple days with no outside support?

  Having the right supplies on hand will give you peace of mind, safety, and comfort during an emergency. Start with what you have and add more as you can.

  Learn more about emergency kits External website, opens in new tab

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  Stay informed

  To make good decisions during an emergency, you need good information.

  Follow trusted sources of information, such as the City of Vancouver and EmergencyInfoBC External website, opens in new tab. 

  Get the Alertable app to get public safety alerts directly to your smartphone. 

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  Get to know your neighbours

  In the first hours of an emergency, you and your neighbours may only have each other for support. Communities that are more connected before an emergency recover quicker from disasters.

  Learn about how to prepare together and make your community stronger with these resources:

  • Resilient Neighbourhoods Program
  • Disaster Support Hubs
  • PreparedBC Neighbourhood Preparedness Guide External website, opens in new tab
  • Play Neighbourhood Bingo PDF file (164 KB KB) at your next community gathering