Le pouls de Saint-Lazare

Did you live through the ice storm in 1998?  Were you affected by North America’s largest ever power outage in 2003? 
These types of massive emergencies require everyone to work together to make it through the emergency safely.  But, it’s when there’s no emergency that you can best plan for what to do the next time there is a catastrophic event.
The theme of this year’s Emergency Preparedness Week is about planning ahead to get prepared should an emergency ever affect our entire community again. The theme is 72-hours: Is your Family Prepared?
Every year, during the first full week of May, Emergency Preparedness Week takes place in all corners of Canada. This year, you can find information about how to prepare your own family by visiting www.GetPrepared.ca or www.EPWeek.ca.  The emergency measures organization for Quebec is called Sécurité civile.
Saint Lazare’s first responders have spent the last six months putting together an emergency preparedness plan for our own organization.  In any medical emergency, we’re normally the first to respond.  As volunteers, we want to make sure that our own families’ needs are cared for in a massive emergency.  That way, each of the first responders can be liberated to help others.  
Why 72-hours?  You are encouraged to be prepared to cope on your own for at least the first 72 hours – that’s 3 days – of an emergency because it may take that long for emergency crews to help you. The time lets emergency workers focus on people in urgent need.
While governments and volunteer organizations like the first responders are working hard to keep you and your community safe, each individual also has an important role to play. By taking a few simple steps today, you can help ensure your family is safe in the event of an emergency.

The Équipe d’intervention médicale de Saint Lazare is a volunteer team who respond to medical emergencies within Saint Lazare.  EIMSL has no affiliation with Sécurité civile or Emergency Preparedness Week.  This article is presented for your information only.  For more information, you can contact EIMSL at (450) 455-5824 or online at info@saintlazare911.com.  In an emergency, the fastest way to get help is to call 911.