Storm preparedness begins at home

On behalf of the Department of Justice and Public Safety

Link to news release

As winter weather begins, New Brunswickers are reminded of the need to be ready in case of an emergency.

Storm Preparedness Week 2020, Nov. 1-7, is being recognized by the provincial government and its New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization along with partners NB Power, Saint John Energy, Edmundston Energy and the Canadian Red Cross.

“Know the risks, make a plan, get an emergency kit ready. We all hope we won’t need these things, but those who prepare are ready to cope with the unexpected,” said Justice and Public Safety Minister Hugh J. Flemming.

Every year, some residents end up isolated or have their access to vital services interrupted for hours, or in extreme cases, for days by severe weather. But when people have prepared for the unexpected, they are ready to get through those times.

There are three important components to being prepared for an emergency:
•Know the risks: Evaluate the kind of emergency that can affect your family and community. Knowing the risks can help you prepare for any disaster.
•Make a plan: Every household needs an emergency plan. It takes less than 30 minutes to organize. Talk to your family about where you would meet, how you would contact each other and what you would do in different situations. Write it down and keep it in a safe place.
•Create an emergency kit: Have all the necessities for you and your family: water, food, flashlights, radio, batteries, first aid kit, prescription medications, infant formula, cash (ATM machines might not be operational in times of crisis).

“The last few years have shown us disaster can strike at any time, from winter snowstorms to spring flooding and fall tropical storms,” said Greg MacCallum, director of the New Brunswick Emergency Measures Organization. “One of the lessons from these events is the need to be prepared year-round.”

Keith Cronkhite, president and CEO of NB Power, said it is essential that organizations work together to make sure everyone remains safe and is prepared for the upcoming storm season.

“At NB Power, safety and reliability are cornerstones of our daily operations,” Cronkhite said. “We are very pleased to join our partners in bringing some detailed and helpful advice to New Brunswickers so that they can also be safe and ready for storms and outages. While customers get well prepared for outages, we want to assure them we will work diligently and safely to restore power as quickly and safely as possible when outages occur.”

“When a storm hits and causes power interruptions, utilities across our province jump into action and work hard to reconnect customers as safely and as quickly as possible,” said Ray Robinson, president and CEO of Saint John Energy. “But, depending on the severity, it can take time to get things back up and running. That is why it is important to be prepared. Saint John Energy crews are ready to help restore power quickly and make repairs as soon as possible. Together with our partners, we would like to encourage everyone in our community to take the necessary steps to prepare for storms.”