Emergency Preparedness in Saskatchewan: Tips for protecting your home from mother nature.

Living in Saskatchewan means facing a variety of natural disasters, from fires and tornadoes to hailstorms and heavy rainstorms with strong winds. Being prepared can make a significant difference in protecting your home and ensuring your family's safety. Here are essential tips and strategies to prepare for and mitigate damage in these specific emergency situations:

Saskatchewan averages between 14 and 18 tornadoes per season

1. Tornado Preparedness:

• Identify a Safe Room: Choose a safe room in your home, ideally in the basement or an interior room on the lowest level without windows.

• Secure Outdoor Items: Anchor outdoor furniture, grills, and other items that could become projectiles in high winds.

• Emergency Supplies: Keep a tornado emergency kit with a battery-operated weather radio, flashlight, helmet, and sturdy shoes.

• Stay Informed: Sign up for local weather alerts and have a plan to receive notifications during severe weather events.

• Practice Drills: Conduct tornado drills with your family so everyone knows what to do if a tornado warning is issued.

2. Fire Preparedness:

• Clear Defensible Space: Maintain a defensible space around your home by clearing dry vegetation, leaves, and debris at least 30 meters (100 feet) away from your house.

• Fire-resistant Landscaping: Choose fire-resistant plants and materials for landscaping near your home. Keep lawns well-watered and mowed.

• Roof and Gutters: Clean roofs and gutters regularly to remove debris that could catch fire from embers.

• Prepare an Emergency Kit: Include essentials like water, non-perishable food, medications, important documents, and a first aid kit in your emergency kit.

• Evacuation Plan: Develop and practice a family evacuation plan. Identify multiple evacuation routes and a meeting point outside your neighborhood.
  

Approximately 1.9 million hectares of land was burned in 2023 Saskatchewan wildfires. That is about five times the size of Prince Albert National Park.

3. Hailstorm Preparedness:

A Saskatchewan storm with baseball sized hail and wind gusts in excess of 120 km/h caused this damage.

• Protect Vehicles: Park vehicles in a garage or carport if possible. Use blankets or car covers designed for hail protection if parking outside.

• Roof Inspection: Regularly inspect your roof for loose or damaged shingles. Consider installing impact-resistant roofing materials.

• Window Protection: Install storm shutters or cover windows with plywood to protect against hail damage.

• Home Insurance: Review your home insurance policy to understand coverage for hail damage and consider adding additional coverage if necessary.

4. Heavy Rainstorm with Wind Preparedness:

• Clear Gutters and Drains: Keep gutters and downspouts clear of debris to prevent water backup and potential roof leaks.

• Inspect Sump Pump: Ensure your sump pump is in good working condition and consider installing a battery-operated backup in case of power outages.

• Foundation Maintenance: Regularly inspect your foundation for cracks and seal any openings to prevent water intrusion during heavy rainstorms.

• Secure Outdoor Items: Secure or bring indoors outdoor furniture, decorations, and equipment that could be blown away or damaged by strong winds.

• Emergency Contact List: Keep a list of emergency contacts handy, including your insurance provider, local utility companies, and emergency services.

• Trim Dead or Weak Branches on Trees near your home: Regularly inspect trees for dead, diseased, or weak branches that could break off during strong winds. Prune these branches to reduce the risk of them becoming projectiles or causing damage.

Straight-line winds (also known as plough winds, thunder gusts, and hurricanes of the prairie) are very strong winds that can produce damage, demonstrating a lack of the rotational damage pattern associated with tornadoes.

Being prepared for Saskatchewan's varied weather conditions requires proactive planning and readiness. By implementing these preparedness measures, you can minimize damage to your home and ensure the safety of your family during emergencies. Stay informed about local weather forecasts and updates to respond quickly and effectively when disaster strikes.