SPSA Recognizes Emergency Preparedness Week; Test Alert Planned for Saskatchewan

Released on May 3, 2022

Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week runs May 1 to 7, and the Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) reminds residents to be ready for anything. During the week, the SPSA will perform a test of the provincial emergency public alerting system, SaskAlert.

"EP Week is a great time to think about what can happen to your home, property or family and take action to be prepared," SPSA President Marlo Pritchard said.

This EP Week, consider the following activities to better prepare for emergencies:

• Build an emergency kit with a collection of basic items around your household.
• Make an emergency plan.
• Research and understand the risks in your area. Knowing what to do and how to prepare for different situations is a crucial step in being ready to face any emergency.
• Take quick, simple steps to protect your home today so you're prepared if a flood happens.
• Protect your home from wildfire by looking for, and removing, fire hazards in and around your home, such as dried out branches, leaves, and debris.
• Take time to change passwords on your private accounts to keep your private information from being compromised. 

"Natural disasters and extreme weather are often top of mind when we think about personal preparedness," Pritchard said. "But we need to prepare for other significant events, such as the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, cyberattacks or other emergencies, too. To be prepared, we must consider all hazards."

To learn more about emergency preparedness at home, visit https://www.saskpublicsafety.ca/at-home/emergency-preparedness-at-home or getprepared.ca.

SaskAlert System Testing

SaskAlert provides critical information on emergencies in real time, so you can take action to protect yourself and your community. The SPSA will conduct a test of the SaskAlert system at approximately 1:55 p.m. on Wednesday, May 4.

"Regular testing of the system helps ensure that, in times of an emergency or disaster, urgent and lifesaving warnings can be distributed to the public by emergency management offices, including the SPSA," Pritchard said.

Not all mobile devices will receive the test alert since some devices are not compatible or the device software may not be up to date. For more information, visit saskalert.ca or contact your telecommunications provider.

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