How to prepare for a disaster

In the event that a major disaster occurs in Laval, residents should be prepared to shelter at home, possibly without water and power, or to leave their home on short notice.  

Getting prepared is your responsibility 

Did you know that the Act respecting civil protection to promote disaster resilience (LSCRS) states that all residents bear primary responsibility for their own safety and the protection of their property? In the event of a disaster, residents therefore must be prepared and must ensure their autonomy. Depending on the circumstances, you may be asked to: 

• Leave your home immediately.  

• Shelter at home, possibly without drinking water or electrical power. 

It is important to remember that in the event of a disaster, emergency response teams have two priorities: 

1. Secure the disaster site.  

2. Rescue the most vulnerable people.  

Residents are thus responsible for being prepared and for meeting their basic needs for a minimum period of 72 hours, by having the following items at home: 

1. A family safety plan. 

2. All the items required to meet their basic needs for at least 72 hours. 

3. A ready-to-go emergency kit, including all essential items in the event that they are required to evacuate quickly. 

That preparedness is referred to in Laval as the 72h+ Autonomy Program! 

Family safety plan

In an emergency situation, chaos and confusion can easily take hold. For that reason, it is important to take a quiet moment to prepare your family safety plan. The plan may include the following elements: 

• The main risks in the region 
• A list of persons to contact in case of emergency.  
• The household evacuation plan in case of fire 
• The location of the gas valve, the floor drain, the electrical panel and the water shutoff valve 
• Information concerning insurance 

Act now to prepare your plan

The following document is designed to help you create a complete family safety plan.  

Here is the plan

Print a copy of your family emergency plan and add it to your grab-and-go bag.

Update your family emergency plan regularly and test it once a year with all household members.

How to ensure your autonomy for 72 hours

Keep the following essential items at home at all times so that you can meet your basic needs for a minimum 72 hours.  

To help you prepare for 72 hours of self-sufficiency:

Ready-to-go emergency kit

f you are obliged to leave your home quickly, make sure all the necessary items are within easy reach. To ensure that you are ready to go at a moment’s notice, put all the items in an easy-carry bag and keep it in a place known to all members of the household. 

Good to Know

• Choose a bag that’s easy to carry, such as a backpack.
• Your grab-and-go bag should be stored in a place that’s accessible and known to the entire family.
• Each family member should have their own grab-and-go bag.
• For items you use daily (wallet, cell phone, identification), make sure you can quickly grab them in case of an evacuation.

Lockdown plan

The word lockdown was widely used during the Covid-19 pandemic, but the lockdown procedure referred to here is different. It is a much higher level of short-term confinement requiring that residents shelter at home and that they take additional measures to protect themselves against potentially dangerous situations, including: 

• extreme climate conditions (tornado, violent winds, etc.) 
• an event involving hazardous materials (gas leak, etc.) 
• a risk of explosion 
• an earthquake 
• the presence of an armed individual or a public security threat 

In Laval, some industries work with hazardous materials. What should you do to stay safe in case of an accident?

What to Do in Case of an Emergency Evacuation

An evacuation may be ordered when an imminent danger directly threatens the occupants of a location, such as a fire or a flood. The goal is to leave the area quickly to reach a safe place.

Winter emergency items for the car

Reminder: 

• It is important to check and regularly update the items that you keep in your car, particularly before the start of winter.
•    Always have lock de-icer on hand in the event that you need it.  
• Before getting on the road, check the road conditions by visiting Québec511.
• If the road conditions are difficult, only use your car if absolutely necessary.  

For pets

The following steps will help ensure that your pets remain safe in the event of an emergency evacuation: 

Residents housed in a shelter that the city makes available to disaster victims are responsible for finding out whether they can bring their pets and what the applicable terms and conditions are.