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Part of Emergency preparedness

Emergency Preparedness Week

Tools and resources to help you plan to participate in the annual campaign, engage your audiences and promote preparedness in your community.

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Emergency preparedness

Be prepared for EP week

Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) is an annual, nationwide event coordinated by Public Safety Canada (PSC) in partnership with the provinces, territories and other partners to encourage Canadians to become better prepared for emergencies. EP Week always occurs the first week of May.

Emergency preparedness is an ongoing journey that is built over time and unique for everyone. EP Week is an opportunity to spotlight emergency preparedness nation-wide and use your knowledge as community leaders to break preparedness down in a way that makes sense for all Albertans:

  • Get and stay informed.
  • Know the risks.
  • Make a plan.
  • Gather supplies and build a kit.
  • Make community connections.

Risks vary by region, but understanding them is key to preparedness. Whether you are creating materials, hosting events or engaging online, encourage individuals to act in preventing, mitigating and preparing for local risks.

Alberta’s new theme for 2026: In It Together

Before, during and after an emergency—we are In It Together.

According to the Preparedness Survey of Albertans, actions that require social connection and coordination—such as knowing neighbours, identifying who may need help, or having a community support system—are among the least common preparedness behaviours. Only 12% of Albertans report having a community support system, which leaves individuals, households and communities more vulnerable when emergencies occur. Low preparedness increases reliance on emergency services, slows recovery and exacerbates stress, financial hardship and inequities during disruptions. Research shows that communities who have established strong social connections before an emergency often experience better outcomes following the emergency, including reduced impacts and recovery time.​

Community takes many forms—neighbours, coworkers, faith groups, sports teams, or people connected by culture or shared interests. When these groups come together, they can form a community support system where they share their knowledge, skills and abilities to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from everyday disruptions to emergencies and even disasters. ​

If affected, your community members will be the first to lend a hand, as well as the last, as you rebuild your community together. 

Year-round Be Prepared resources

The Preparedness Survey of Albertans indicates that lack of information and not thinking about preparedness are leading barriers to preparedness in the province. Break down this barrier by leveraging Be Prepared programming with your networks. These resources support your efforts in encouraging community members to take disaster risk reduction actions by providing:

  • a theme aligned across Alberta to simplify the call to action
  • ideas and information to support campaign planning
  • a structured way of breaking down preparedness behaviours for community members
  • a selection of communications you can edit to be more relatable and relevant for your community

  • Know the risks

    Alberta’s diverse landscape – from the Rocky Mountains and foothills to the prairies and boreal forests – means that hazards vary across regions, but the most common threats provincewide include flooding, wildfires, severe storms, high winds and extreme temperatures.

    Knowing the risks, or risk literacy, helps Albertans take appropriate actions that are unique to their circumstances. Prepared individuals are more self-reliant and will achieve better outcomes when disruptions occur, big or small.

    Use Be Prepared Know the risks programming to inform your communities on hazards that impact them.

  • Get and stay informed

    Alerting apps, as well as local and provincial communications, help Albertans stay informed and can help them respond to threats faster. Channels or methods used to deliver emergency messaging varies by community. Ensure your community knows where to find critical information, instructions and updates during a disruption.

    Trusted information sources to promote:

  • Make an emergency plan

    The Preparedness Survey of Albertans shows just 20% of those surveyed have a household emergency plan. And even fewer of those surveyed are aware of the emergency plans at their partner’s place of work, at their child’s school or daycare or a parent’s care home. 

    An emergency plan can help minimize the confusion and distress during a disaster. Use Be Prepared Make a Plan programming and resources to inform your community on things to consider in their plan like:

    Promote Public Safety Canada’s emergency planning tool as a guide for community members to fill out and use.

  • Gather supplies and build an emergency kit

    During an emergency, everyday services may not be available and critical public services can become overwhelmed and not able to operate at full capacity. Individuals equipped with the right supplies are more likely to avoid personal emergencies during prolonged disruptions.

    • Gather supplies – contains a supply list and seasonal update suggestions, special items to consider and an emergency contact card.
    • Build an emergency kit – this includes different emergency checklists to consider for individual households, vehicles, pet needs as well as a grab-and-go list. 

  • Make community connections

    Connected communities are resilient communities. Research shows that communities with strong social connections experience better outcomes following emergencies and disasters, including reduced impacts and recovery time. The 2025 Preparedness Survey of Albertans reports that of those surveyed, only 12% have a community support network in place. 

    Build more resilient communities with these tips: 

    • Work with local organizations that offer supports and services to the most vulnerable people in your community to find ways to increase their disaster resilience. These are the members of your community that will require additional supports during and after an emergency or disaster.
    • Look for funding opportunities to support local community preparedness initiatives. Create pathways that enable your community members to come together to find solutions for a shared problem – by community, for community.
    • Find free preparedness events, workshops, etc., that you can host for your residents, either in person or virtually, to create space for networking and relationship building. Encourage conversation and connections beyond the session.
    • Host a public information session to share the hazard outlook for the season and your community’s level of readiness. Make sure the platform allows for engagement and encourage community members to stay informed and share information with them that empowers self-reliance.

    Visit Make Community Connections for more information.

  • Other resources

    Websites

Social media toolkit 

Download these pre-drafted social media graphics and suggested captions to use for your campaign. Please use the graphics as provided. Editing or modifying these graphics may fall outside the licensed and permitted use.

  • Day 1 theme: We are “In It Together.” Make community connections

    Suggested social media posts: 

    Facebook/Instagram 
    Emergency Preparedness Week is here! This year, our theme focuses on making community connections. When emergencies happen, we are “In It Together.”

    Emergencies can happen anywhere at any time. The most immediate help during an emergency will come from those around you—your community. 

    Making community connections today means that when disruptions occur, big or small, you and your community can work together to have a better response and faster recovery.

    Follow us to learn how you can build connections and resiliency. This year, there are a series of preparedness sessions to help you take action. Register for the first one, starting tomorrow, here: (Link coming soon)

    Twitter (X) 
    Emergency Preparedness Week is here. Strong community connections help us respond and recover faster. The first help often comes from those around you. 

    Join tomorrow’s preparedness session: (Link coming soon)

    Graphic

  • Day 2 theme: What does community mean?

    Suggested social media posts:

    Facebook/Instagram
    Community doesn’t just mean where you live—it could be coworkers, faith groups, sports teams or people connected by shared culture or interests. 

    Connecting with your community members allows you to share knowledge, skills and abilities to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from disruptions, big or small. This Emergency Preparedness Week, consider how you and your community can work together to build resilience.

    Learn about the types of community you could be a part of with this quick presentation: (Link coming soon)

    Twitter (X)
    Community is more than where you live. This Emergency Preparedness Week, remember that strong connections with coworkers, groups and neighbours help communities prepare for and recover from emergencies. 

    Watch the presentation: (Link coming soon)

    Graphic

  • Day 3 theme: Everyday opportunities to make connections

    Suggested social media posts:

    Facebook/Instagram
    Knowledge is power before, during and after an emergency. 

    Connecting with your neighbours through your local community Facebook page and other social groups can get the conversation started around local hazards and how to prepare for an emergency.

    Sharing historic knowledge or lived experience(s) regarding local hazards helps everyone take preparedness actions to reduce risk. 

    This Emergency Preparedness Week, think about the different experiences you could share, what you might want to learn from others, and opportunities to share information and get to know each other. 

    Learn simple ways you could make a community connection with this quick presentation: (Link coming soon)

    Twitter (X)
    Local knowledge and lived experience help communities prepare for hazards and reduce risk.

    This Emergency Preparedness Week, share what you know and learn from others. Everyday conversations can strengthen resilience.

    Watch the presentation: (Link coming soon)

    Graphic

  • Day 4 theme: Learn who is in your community

    Suggested social media posts:

    Facebook/Instagram
    Everyone has a unique preparedness journey with different skills, resources or needs. Knowing the strengths and weaknesses in your community and the role each person plays during an emergency can save lives. 

    Together, we are stronger and more resilient. Tune into the next preparedness session for Emergency Preparedness Week to learn how to plan for emergencies with your community: (Link coming soon)

    Twitter (X) 
    This Emergency Preparedness Week, remember that everyone has different skills and needs. Knowing your community and supporting one another can save lives during an emergency. Strong connections help response and recovery. 

    Watch the session: (Link coming soon)

    Graphic

  • Day 5/6 theme: Community connections during and after an emergency

    Suggested social media posts:

    Facebook/Instagram
    Research shows that communities who have established strong social connections before an emergency often experience better outcomes, reduced impacts and shorter recovery time after the emergency. 

    During and after an emergency, make sure to:

    • check on others
    • share resources
    • if safe to do so and time permits, help others
    • reflect on your experience(s) with your household and community members

    Check out the next preparedness session for Emergency Preparedness Week to learn the different steps you can take to build community resilience before and after an emergency: (Link coming soon)

    Twitter (X)
    This Emergency Preparedness Week, find out how strong community connections help people recover faster. During and after an emergency, check on others, share resources and help if it is safe. 

    Watch the preparedness session: (Link coming soon)

    Graphic

  • Day 7 theme: We all have a role to play. Together, we are more resilient.

    Suggested social media posts:

    Facebook/Instagram 
    We all have a role to play in emergency preparedness. Emergency services are the first call for help, but depending on the size and severity of the situation, there could be delays reaching your community. 

    Households are encouraged to build self-reliance by preparing to meet their needs for a minimum of 72 hours. 

    But always remember that we are “In It Together.” Building strong social ties, practicing preparedness habits and sharing them with your community helps build community resilience to achieve better outcomes during and after an emergency.

    As Emergency Preparedness Week comes to a close, remember that you can take small steps and add them to your routine to build resilience over time. 

    Preparedness isn’t just for a week, but a series of habits built upon year-round and every day. 

    Learn more: https://www.alberta.ca/make-community-connections

    Twitter (X)
    Emergencies don’t just test plans; they test connections. As Emergency Preparedness Week comes to a close, stay connected with those around you. Preparedness is built through everyday habits.

    Learn more: https://www.alberta.ca/make-community-connections

    Graphic

Campaign specific resources 

  • EP week poster

    Use this poster to promote EP Week in your community.

  • EP week bingo card

    Use this Bingo card to encourage your audiences to take preparedness actions during EP Week. Consider offering prizes to increase uptake.

  • EP Week scavenger hunt

    Share this self-paced scavenger hunt activity with your audiences to encourage them to work together to use everyday moments like walks, community events, car rides, meals or casual conversations as opportunities to talk about preparedness.

  • EP Week step it forward activity (for educators)

    Resource coming soon!

  • EP Week mapping activity

    Resource coming soon!

  • EP week trivia

    Download these EP Week trivia questions and adapt them to resonate with the communities you serve. 

  • Daily virtual information sessions

    You asked and Be Prepared listened. This EP Week will feature daily virtual preparedness sessions that you can share with your audiences.

    Our first session will be live, hosted on May 4, 2026, from 12 pm to 1 pm. This session will introduce the essentials of emergency preparedness and walk attendees through the key steps they can take to begin, or strengthen, their preparedness journey. 

    Register for and share the info session

    The rest of the sessions will be prerecorded and easily shareable with your audiences to tune in daily. Each short, digestible session will explore a theme-specific topic, including:

    • What community means
    • Everyday opportunities to make connections
    • Learning who is in your community
    • Community connections during and after an emergency
    • We all have a role to play. Together, we are more resilient

    Together, these sessions build on the preparedness journey introduced in the live event, reinforcing this year’s “In It Together” theme by helping Albertans strengthen both personal and community resilience. Make sure to leverage and promote these preparedness sessions as an easy way to engage your community during EP Week.

    Stay tuned. Prerecorded sessions will be released in April!

  • Resource library

    This resource library has Be Prepared fact sheets, infographics, 60-second videos, toolkits and more to support your campaign planning.

Contact

Connect with the Alberta Emergency Management Agency:

Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Phone: 780-422-9000
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: [email protected]

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