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Emergency Preparedness Week

Last updated on April 1, 2026

Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week is May 3 to 9. The 2026 theme is “In it Together.” Join PreparedBC in learning how social connection can strengthen your readiness. Use the resources on this page to spread the word.

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In it together

Preparing for emergencies is more than gathering supplies. It’s about social connection.

Why does that matter? A strong sense of trust and belonging before an emergency, means people can rely on each other during and after one occurs.

The 2026 EP Week theme of "In it together," recognizes that everyone’s readiness and resilience is strengthened when we look out for one another.

Take action

Use these steps to build relationships you can rely on during an emergency.

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Get connected

The first step to preparedness through social connection is building strong relationships within your community.

Community can take many forms, from neighbours, faith groups and sports teams to people with shared cultures or interests.

Start by introducing yourself to someone you don’t know on your block or in your apartment building. Share a favourite recipe with a member of your book club. Run an errand for an elder who needs extra help. Offer to pick up mail for a neighbour that’s out of town.

These simple steps establish trust and reciprocity before the stress of an emergency. Ask yourself, are you more likely to help someone you know or someone you’ve never met?

 

Get educated

If you’re prepared for an emergency, you’ll be better able to support others. Perhaps more importantly, you’ll be an example for them to follow.   

Cover the basics, in three steps:

  1. Know the hazards in your community: Hazards vary from region to region. Knowing which ones are near you, will guide how you prepare.
  2. Gather your supplies: When an emergency happens, you may need to stay at home with an emergency kit or leave immediately with a grab-and-go bag. Check out our basic supply lists. Add items based on your specific needs, and don’t forget to include supplies for your pets (Pet emergency plan (PDF, 1MB)).
  3. Make your home emergency plan: An emergency plan says how you and the people you live with will respond during an emergency. Having a home emergency plan will help you stay calm, connected, focused and safe.  
 

Get organized

It’s time to share how you’re preparing and invite others into the process.

Bring together the people around you to talk about how you can work together and share the responsibility.

Topics of conversation can include:

  • Listing the hazards in your area
  • Asking what people have done to prepare for them
  • Exploring the potential for a joint emergency plan with people’s contact information, an inventory of their skills and resources, and a list of people who may need extra help

PreparedBC’s Neighbourhood Guide (PDF, 2.6MB) and Apartments and Condos Guide (PDF, 2.4MB) have fill-in-the-blank sections to track the details, as well as prompting questions to support further discussion.     

As a next step, assign someone from the group to connect with your area’s emergency program. Many First Nations and local governments have existing neighbourhood or social connection initiatives you can plug into.

 

Webinar

During Emergency Preparedness week, the PreparedBC team will host a free webinar on preparedness through connection. Stay tuned for more info!

Resources

We've created a suite of resources to help local governments, First Nations and community organizations get the most out of EP Week. For hazard-specific guides, a generic preparedness presentation template and more, check out our guides and resources page.

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Posters

Emergency Preparedness Week posters:

The fillable poster can be used to promote any event your organization or community may be hosting during Emergency Preparedness Week, such as a preparedness fair.

 

Bingo card

Use the bingo card (PDF, 509KB) to encourage your audience to take preparedness actions during EP Week. Individuals can email a picture of their completed card to PreparedBC@gov.bc.ca for a chance to win a four-person home emergency kit.

 

Word search

Share this fun word search (PDF, 78KB) with your audience to help them learn about preparedness. Word search answer key (PDF, 88.4KB).

 

Scavenger hunt

Share this self-paced scavenger hunt (PDF, 680KB) with your audiences to encourage them to work together by using everyday moments, like neighbourhood walks, transit rides, meals or casual conversations, as opportunities to talk about preparedness.

Individuals can email a picture of their completed scavenger hunt checklist or any proof of community connection to PreparedBC@gov.bc.ca for a chance to win a four-person home emergency kit.

 

Trivia

Download the trivia questions (PDF, 594KB) and ask the ones that resonate with your audience. The questions can be used during EP Week fairs or events to help engage participants.

 

Fun activities for kids

 

Webinar recordings

Visit PreparedBC’s YouTube channel for webinar recordings on topics, such as inclusive preparedness, insurance, animal preparedness, cultural safety and community preparedness.

 

Social media toolkit

Download the following pre-drafted social media graphics and suggested captions to support your campaign. Add information, photos and hashtags specific to your community.

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Graphics

Text: Emergency preparedness week: In it together. Image: A neighbourhood park with a tree and bench in the foreground with people walking and talking, including one person walking a dog. Background shows a city skyline with houses.Emergency preparedness week

Text: Community is more than where you live. Image: A neighbourhood with different structure houses, buildings and a tree.Community

Text: Community preparedness starts with you. Know your hazards. Gather supplies. Make your plan. Build relationships. Image:Person thinking about hazards, emergency kit container and a grab-and-go bag and a home emergency plan with a mobile and a pen.Preparedness

Text: Get connected, get prepared. Reach out - say hi. Look out - check in. Help out-lend a hand. Image: A neighbourhood park with a tree and grassy hill with a city skyline and house in the background. In the foreground, people are sitting on chairs and working on an emergency plan, including one person helping another on a wheelchair.Reach out

Text: Get connected. Get prepared. Check on others, share resources, build a community contact list. Image: A neighbourhood park with grassy hills, a tree and a city skyline with buildings and houses in the background. In the foreground, one person is helping another by carrying grocery bags and one kid is helping another kid on a swing.Connection

 

 

 

Facebook/Instagram

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

Building relationships today means you and the people around you will be ready to work together for a better response and faster recovery ✔️

Learn more: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Emergency Preparedness Week generic (PNG, 282KB)

It’s Emergency Preparedness Week!

To highlight the importance of working together and building community resilience, this year’s EP Week theme is “In it together.”

Community preparedness starts with you. If you are prepared for an emergency, you will be better able to support others in your community ✔️

Here are some ways to get prepared:

Know the hazards in your community: www.PreparedBC.ca/Hazards

Gather your emergency supplies: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyKit

Make your home emergency plan: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyReady

Get to know your community members: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Preparedness (PNG, 253KB)

During an emergency, the most immediate help comes from those around you.

This Emergency Preparedness Week, connect and build relationships in your community.

Here are a few ideas:

Reach out: Say hi, introduce yourself, or drop off cookies or a greeting card ✔️

Look out: Check in with neighbours or community members after severe weather events or local emergencies ✔️

Help out: Little actions go a long way. Chat with someone who lives alone, share supplies during a power outage or help an elder clear their driveway after a snowfall ✔️

For more ideas, check out @PreparedBC’s Neighbourhood preparedness guide: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPlan#neighbourhoods

Recommended graphic: Look out, reach out, help out (PNG, 245KB)

Community doesn’t just mean where you live.

A community can take many forms, including neighbours, faith groups or people with shared hobbies.

Building strong community connections before an emergency makes it easier to support one another when it matters most.

Start by reaching out, saying hi, and suggesting a conversation about shared preparedness ✔️

Talk about local risks. Discuss the hazards in your area and identify people who may need extra support in an emergency ✔️

Assign responsibilities for an emergency response, such as first aid, cleanup or checking on vulnerable individuals ✔️

More tips: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Community connections (PNG, 162KB)

Research shows communities with strong social connections before an emergency experience reduced impacts and shorter recovery times. 

During and after an emergency, make sure to:

  • Check on others
  • Share resources, such as emergency supplies
  • Build a community contact list or text group

Learn more about building community connections: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Connections during an emergency (PNG, 162KB)

 

Threads/X

Emergency Preparedness Week is here! This year’s theme is “In It Together.”

Building relationships today means you and the people around you will be ready to work together for a better response and faster recovery.

Get started: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Emergency Preparedness Week generic (PNG, 282KB)

The Emergency Preparedness Week 2026 theme is “In it together.”

Community preparedness starts with you. Being prepared allows you to support others.

  • Know your hazards
  • Gather your supplies
  • Make your plan
  • Build relationships

Learn more: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Preparedness (PNG, 253KB)

During an emergency, the most immediate help comes from those around you.

This Emergency Preparedness Week, connect & build relationships.

Reach out: Say hi ✔️

Look out: Check in with people ✔️

Help out: Lend a hand ✔️

Learn more: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPlan#neighbourhoods

Recommended graphic: Look out, reach out, help out (PNG, 245KB)

This Emergency Preparedness Week, find out why strong community connections are critical to individual, neighbourhood and community readiness.  

We’re “In it Together”: www.PreparedBC.ca/EmergencyPreparednessWeek

Recommended graphic: Connections during an emergency (PNG, 162KB)

 

More information

For more information and for year-round preparedness tips, follow us on Facebook, X, Instagram and Threads.