Preparedness Survey of Albertans

Overview

The annual Preparedness Survey of Albertans measures preparedness knowledge and actions across the province. The results are weighted to reflect age, gender and ethnicity across Alberta.

The survey helps the emergency management community understand levels of preparedness, identify potential gaps or weaknesses, and develop strategies to address and better meet the needs of individuals and communities in the province.

When community members are prepared for disruption, it means:

• emergency workers can focus on responding to disasters and getting situations under control faster
• emergency social services can provide support to the most vulnerable populations
• impacts of disasters are reduced so people can get back to their lives and work sooner

Although the annual survey is conducted by the Alberta government, it will take a collective effort to drive change:

• Alberta is a large province, with a variety of hazards and a population with varying needs, abilities and knowledge
• the Alberta government created the Be Prepared program to help community leaders build resilience at the local level
• by working together, we can raise Albertans' risk literacy and encourage disaster risk reduction behaviour in our province

2025 survey findings

Read the annual survey results

A significant number of Albertans remain unprepared for emergencies, with many indicating that they do not feel at risk.

• There was a noticeable decline in the number of Albertans taking preparedness actions in 2025 compared to 2024.
• The perception that an emergency is unlikely to occur has become the top barrier to taking preparedness actions, followed by lack of information, which was the top barrier in all previous survey years (2021–2024).

The 2025 results reflect several survey and contextual changes that may have influenced findings, including a transition to a new research vendor, refined survey wording and a revised survey design, which required responses to all preparedness questions. These changes improved data completeness but may have shifted results.

Disaster risk literacy

Disaster risk literacy is being able to understand and recognize potential hazards. This can include both:

• physical risks – such as the possibility of a train derailment or tornado
• more abstract risks – like the possibility of losing access to funds via debit or credit cards due to systems outages

Risk literacy is being aware of possible risks and knowing how likely they are and how bad they could be. This knowledge helps us take appropriate risk reduction actions.

The top 4 hazards of concern in 2025 were:

• extreme cold, a blizzard, freezing rain or ice storm
• wildfires
• extreme heat
• severe drought

The top hazard concern varies by region:

• Northwest – wildfires
• Northeast – wildfires
• North central – wildfires
• Central – extreme cold, a blizzard, freezing rain or ice storm
• East central – extreme cold, a blizzard, freezing rain or ice storm
• South central – extreme cold, a blizzard, freezing rain or ice storm
• South – severe drought

Learn about how to prepare for common hazards in Alberta.

Risk reduction behaviours

Risk reduction behaviour refers to actions that individuals or communities can take to reduce the impact of a disaster, emergency or disruption. While not all impacts may be harmful, they may cause significant disruption to daily life.

Risk reduction behaviours can include things like:

• creating emergency plans
• applying FireSmart to your property
• practicing emergency drills

The top 3 preparedness behaviours were to:

1. get insurance – 51% have adequate insurance
2. gather supplies – 43% have enough supplies to shelter in place
3. know the risks – 35% have learned about the risks in their community

Learn how you can educate your community at Resources for your community.

Risk reduction motivators

Risk reduction motivators are what drive individuals or communities to take action to reduce their risk of harm. These motivators can include both:

• external factors – such as government regulations or insurance requirements
• internal factors – such as a personal desire to protect oneself and one's loved ones

The 2025 survey confirms:

• self-reliance is the largest motivator to take preparedness action
• a low perceived likelihood of an emergency occurring is now the top reason for not being more prepared

Mitigation at home

Taking steps to protect your home and property from potential damage or loss due to disasters is a crucial part of preparedness. Mitigation at home refers to making home improvements that reduce the impact of hazards such as extreme weather, wildfires and floods.

Home mitigation can include actions like installing fire-resistant materials, reinforcing windows and doors, or clearing vegetation around the home to reduce wildfire risk. Simple measures, such as sealing windows and doors to prevent water damage or installing backup power supplies, can help homeowners better protect their property.

The 2025 survey confirms that:

• 61% of homeowners have not made home improvements and do not intend to do so to protect their property
• 19% of homeowners have completed some protective improvements to protect their property
• 19% of homeowners plan to undertake protective improvements, with some already in progress
• the most common barrier remains financial, with 25% of homeowners citing cost as the main reason

New in 2025: Emergency information and trust

Understanding how Albertans receive and trust emergency information helps tailor communication strategies and ensure people can act quickly during emergencies. The 2025 survey introduced new questions to better understand where Albertans turn for information and which sources they trust most.

• How Albertans receive emergency information:
  • 59% receive emergency information through interruptive alerts on TV, radio and compatible cellphones
  • 52% use alerting apps, such as Alberta Emergency and Weather indicating continued growth in mobile-based emergency communication tools
• Most trusted sources for emergency preparedness information:
  • local government (56%) is the most trusted source, reflecting confidence in community-level information
  • provincial government (51%) is the next most trusted source
  • personal networks (45%), including friends, family, neighbours and community organizations, continue to play a major role in sharing preparedness information

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]