Letter From Minister Mike Ellis, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Summer is a great time to enjoy Alberta’s beautiful scenery and long daylight hours, but it can also bring storms, high temperatures and increased fire risk. Many of this magazine’s readers have likely experienced floods, wildfires or tornadoes firsthand, and many seniors have been instrumental in helping Alberta’s communities recover from disasters. While we can’t control the weather, we can prepare for summer hazards.
Whether you live in the mountains, the foothills, the prairies, or a forest town, each community has its own challenges. Knowing the hazards you and your neighbours could face will help you take appropriate steps to prepare. Find a trusted source of information, like a reliable radio or television news channel, or an app for your phone, like Alberta Emergency Alert or Alberta Wildfire Status. Bookmark a government web page, such as your town’s home page, or Alberta.ca, which has a wide variety of preparedness tips. Follow your local government on your favourite social media platform, such as Instagram, Facebook or X.
I also encourage everyone to build relationships with others in your community. Get to know your neighbours, the folks at church, slo-pitch teammates or pickleball partners. These connections can help us stay safe and recover faster. Together, we are stronger and more resilient.
Also, make sure to build an emergency plan and emergency kit. Your plan should include how you will contact friends and family and where you will go if you need to evacuate. Your emergency kit should include essentials like medication, food, and water to last a week. If you have pets or the grandchildren are visiting, don’t forget to include food, snacks and toys for them.
Preparedness doesn’t happen overnight, but we can move towards it every day. It’s a journey unique to everyone, and to help you along the way, staff at the Alberta Emergency Management Agency have contributed an article to this edition of the magazine that will give readers new tools and strategies to prepare for an emergency. I understand other writers and specialists have also provided feature pieces on important topics like how to travel safely and beat the heat. I hope this copy of Alberta Senior Living helps you stay safe and be well over the summer.
Preparedness is how we protect ourselves and the people around us. By taking a few practical steps now, we can all enjoy a safer, healthier summer.
Honourable Mike Ellis
Deputy Premier of Alberta,
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
Honourable Mike Ellis
Deputy Premier of Alberta,
Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Services
