Calgary’s Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) reminds citizens to prepare for severe weather events

With the rain Calgary has seen recently, and with more unsettled weather expected this week, the Calgary Emergency Management Agency (CEMA) is encouraging all Calgarians to prepare for the possibility of damage from flooding and severe weather.

 

“There is little doubt Calgary sees its share of severe weather,” says Len MacCharles, Deputy Chief of CEMA. “In fact, according to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, in the last four years, Alberta was responsible for about half of all insurance claims due to severe weather in all of Canada. There are things Calgarians can do to minimize the effects of severe weather on their safety and property."

 

Know the risks. The Calgary area is prone to weather extremes, from damaging thunderstorms, high winds, tornadoes, hail and drought (increasing the risk of large fires). Be alert to changing weather conditions and be prepared to take shelter.

Take steps to prepare your home for severe weather. Secure items in your yard or on your deck so they don’t become airborne during high winds. Make sure your home’s downspouts are pointed away from foundations so water doesn’t pool near your home. Install a backflow prevention device on your basement’s floor drain.

 

Avoid driving through pooled water. Often drivers misjudge how deep a pool is and get stranded in rising water. Do not attempt to walk through pooled water or running water: it takes only six inches of water to sweep an adult off their feet, and only a foot of water to move a car. Do not allow children to play near running water, pools of water or storm drains.

 

Ensure you have an emergency preparedness kit. Be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for up to 72 hours. In a severe weather event, you may be asked to evacuate, or you may have to remain in your home without services like power or natural gas.

 

Calgary can expect to see more extreme weather over the coming decades, says a new report prepared for the Insurance Bureau of Canada. Climate change will increase average temperatures, which could lead to shortages in potable water and more droughts. Dry conditions increase the likelihood of wildland and urban interface fires. There are more weather extremes, because more violent weather patterns are associated with warmer temperatures. Rainfall that was previously considered a 1:50 year event is now considered a 1:35 year event, making large rainfall events more common.

 

CEMA works to prepare Calgarians for emergencies and disasters. CEMA works with 35 Agency members and partners to coordinate response to and recovery from major emergencies and disasters, and manages The City of Calgary's Emergency Operations Centre. For more information on the risks in Calgary, how to prepare for them, and how to build an emergency preparedness kit, visit www.calgary.ca/cema.