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Household emergency preparedness

Domain

Good governance

Subdomain

Safety and security

Indicator

Household emergency preparedness


Definition

Proportion of households that have taken specific steps to prepare for a natural disaster.


Measurement

This indicator is measured in the 2023 cycle of the Households and the Environment Survey (HES). Preparation for natural disasters or weather-related events allows households to be more resilient in the face of environmental vulnerabilities.

In the 2023 HES, survey respondents are asked:

What steps have you/your household taken to prepare for a natural disaster?

Select all that apply

  • 3-day supply of drinking water (72 hours; 2 litres/person/day + water for pets)
  • Food
  • Money
  • Medication
  • Battery powered radio
  • Emergency lights: e.g., flash lights, chemical light sticks
  • Portable backup generator
  • Permanently installed home backup generator
    e.g., Generac®
  • Emergency solar PV
    Include portable solar panels
  • Other
    Specify other preparations
    OR
  • None of the above

Data sources


Data analysis

  • Results from the 2023 HES will be released in June 2025.

Additional information

The Survey Series on First Nations People, Métis and Inuit (SSFNPMI) (Emergency Preparedness and Extreme Weather -EPEW: November 18 – December 15, 2024) asks related questions.

The SSFNPMI asks:
Do you or members of your household have an emergency exit plan for your home?

  • Yes
  • No

Have you or members of your household reviewed or practiced this emergency exit plan in the past 12 months?

  • Yes
  • No

Do you or members of your household currently have any of the following items in your home or vehicle in case of extreme weather events or natural disasters?

  • A supply of stored drinking water for 3 days or more (i.e., 6 litres or more per person and water for pets
    e.g., water bottles, jugs)
  • Non-perishable food for 3 days or more (i.e., enough food for all members of your household for 3 days, including pets)
  • Cash to cover 3 days or more worth of expenses (e.g., for food, gas or propane, personal hygiene supplies, clothing)
  • A supply of prescription or other medications to last 3 days or more
  • A first aid kit (e.g., bandages, gauze, tape, thermometer, thermal blanket)
  • Copies of important documents (e.g., passport, birth certificate, driver's licence, contact numbers)
  • A battery-operated or wind-up radio
  • Emergency lights (e.g., flashlights, chemical light sticks, candles)
  • A power bank to charge electronics
  • Backup fuel (e.g., diesel, gasoline, propane, naphtha, firewood)
  • A portable or permanent backup generator
  • Hunting, fishing or trapping equipment
  • Other steps you or your household have taken to prepare for a natural disaster
  • None of the above

Which of the following best represents how prepared you are for an extreme weather event or natural disaster?

  • Extremely prepared
  • Very prepared
  • Somewhat prepared
  • A little bit prepared
  • Not prepared

How concerned are you about extreme weather events or natural disasters affecting you and members of your household?

  • Extremely concerned
  • Very concerned
  • Somewhat concerned
  • A little bit concerned
  • Not concerned at all

Which extreme weather event or natural disaster are you most concerned about affecting you and members of your household?

  • A winter storm (e.g., blizzard, ice storm, hail)
  • A flood (e.g., from heavy rains or snowmelt)
  • A wildfire or forest fire
  • Extreme winds from tornados, hurricanes or other extreme events
  • Extreme cold (i.e., when temperatures and wind chills are much lower than average)
  • Extreme heat (i.e., when temperatures and humidity in the day and night are much hotter than average
    e.g., heat wave)
  • A storm surge or tsunami
  • A drought
  • An earthquake
  • A landslide or avalanche
  • Other extreme weather event or natural disaster

The Canadian Social Survey (CSS) (Wave 6: July 15 – August 28, 2022 and Wave 7: October 21- December 4, 2022) ask related questions.

The CSS asks:

How concerned are you about the risk of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster affecting your household?

  • Extremely concerned
  • Very concerned
  • Somewhat concerned
  • A little bit concerned
  • Not concerned at all

In the past 12 months, have you/has anyone in your household taken steps to prepare in the event of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster affecting your household?

  • Yes
  • No

In the past 12 months, have you helped others in your local community prepare in the event of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster affecting their household?

  • Yes
  • No

The infographic Preparing for weather-related emergencies in Canada presents data from these CSS questions (Statistics Canada – Infographics, June 1, 2023)

The StatsCAN Plus article Are Canadians prepared for the next natural disaster or weather-related emergency? presents data from these CSS questions (StatsCAN Plus, June 1, 2023)

There is also a question in the 2023 HES that is correlated to where households look for information about emergencies:

Where would you/your household expect to receive an alert for a natural disaster?

Select all that apply

  • By phone notification
  • From the TV
  • On the Radio
  • Social media
  • On a sign on the highway while driving
  • From a family member or friend
  • An app
  • A website
  • Other
    Specify the other source of information

Data on household emergency preparedness were previously collected in the one-time 2014 Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience (SEPR). Data products from the 2014 SEPR are available at the following page: Related products – Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada.

Frameworks

This indicator aligns with the following frameworks:

  • Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
    • Goal 13 – Climate action
      • SDG Indicator 13.1 – Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries
      • SDG Indicator 13.3 – Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning
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