Preparing Children and Families for Emergencies

Public Safety Minister Announces Elmer the Safety Elephant® “Be Prepared!” Poster Contest Winners

Public Safety Minister Vic Toews and The Canada Safety Council’s General Manager, Raynald Marchand, are pleased to announce the winners of the Elmer the Safety Elephant’s “Be Prepared!” Poster Contest today, as part of Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) activities.  

This year marks the 15th anniversary of EP Week (May 2-8), a national campaign coordinated by Public Safety Canada with provincial and territorial emergency management organizations, partners and first responders such as police officers, firefighters, and paramedics. The Elmer the Safety Elephant’s “Be Prepared!” Poster Contest, managed by The Canada Safety Council, resulted in more than 1300 entries from over 100 schools across Canada. The contest was open to elementary school students in grades two to five.

First place prizes in each of the grades were awarded to:

• Olivia of Hamilton, Ontario (Grade 2)
• Justin of Montreal, Quebec (Grade 3)
• Selina of Toronto, Ontario (Grade 4)
• Lisa of Chatham, Ontario (Grade 5)

Students were asked to create posters that showed how they would help prepare their families in case of an emergency.  Poster submissions included drawings of escape routes from each room in their homes, items they would put in their emergency kit, and what they would do with their family pet in case of an emergency.

Public Safety Canada provides tips on how to talk to kids about emergencies, such as how to dial 9-1-1 or a local emergency number to get help.  As part of EP Week activities, a short new video on preparing a family emergency plan is being launched.

 “The Government of Canada is funding projects and initiatives that enhance Canadians’ emergency preparedness,” said the Honorable Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety. “I am delighted that so many children and educators across the country participated in this year’s poster contest. During Emergency Preparedness Week, I encourage parents to talk to their children about preparing for emergencies and to help them understand their role in family safety.”

“This poster contest was a great way to get families involved in emergency preparedness planning,” said Canada Safety Council General Manager, Raynald Marchand. “We know that severe storms and heavy rain can develop quickly and threaten life and property. We worked with Public Safety Canada to develop Elmer’s poster contest in order to encourage families to take the time to prepare in advance of an emergency and provide educators with easy-to-use course material for their students.”

Background:

During EP Week, countless events are organized across Canada to raise awareness of the importance of preparing for emergencies. This year, Canadians are being asked to take 20 minutes to make a family emergency plan. Discussing what family members would do in different scenarios will make actual situations less stressful and save time during an emergency.

Having a plan is also part of being a responsible community member. Local authorities will react swiftly, but they can't reach everyone at once. Being prepared allows emergency responders to help those in urgent need first. 

Stay informed and become part of the growing number of Canadians who want to share experiences and learn more about preparing for emergencies by following us on Twitter@Get_Prepared.

The Canada Safety Council is a national, non-government, charitable organization dedicated to safety. Focusing on safety education as the key to long range reduction in avoidable deaths and injuries, the Council serves as a national resource for safety programs. The poster contest was launched by the Canada Safety Council at the end of February 2010 and closed on March 26, 2010.

Contacts:

Media Relations
Public Safety Canada
613-991-0657