Home Alone and Weather-Ready

In Simple Terms

Being home on your own for a bit is a big step. It means your family trusts you. Most of the time, nothing exciting happens at all. You have a snack, do homework, maybe watch the clouds roll in.

But Lethbridge weather can change fast. A thunderstorm can pop up on a summer afternoon. A winter wind can blow snow sideways. The power can go out. This page helps you know exactly what to do, so you never have to guess.

There’s no single “right age” for staying home alone. Every kid is different, and your family decides when you’re ready.

Jump to: My emergency card · Calling 911 · Power outage · Thunderstorms and hail · Tornado warning · Blizzards and cold · Emergency alerts · Ready kit job · Doors and phones

My emergency card

Print this out and fill it in with a parent. Keep it by the phone or on the fridge. For your backpack, make a small copy with just the phone numbers (leave off your address).

When to call 911

911 is for emergencies, when someone needs help right now:

• There’s a fire or you smell smoke. Get out first, then call from outside or from a neighbour’s.
• Someone is badly hurt, won’t wake up, or can’t breathe properly.
• Someone is trying to break in or is inside who shouldn’t be.

What to say:

1. Say which service you need (fire, police or ambulance) if they ask.
2. Tell them your address. (That’s why it’s on your card.)
3. Tell them what happened, in simple words.
4. Stay on the line and answer their questions. Don’t hang up until they tell you to.

Not an emergency, but someone feels sick or you’re worried about a small injury? Call a parent first. Your family can also call 811, Alberta’s Health Link, for health advice.

If the power goes out

• Use a flashlight, not candles. Candles can start fires. Know where your flashlight is before you need it.
• Keep the fridge and freezer closed. They stay cold for hours if you don’t open them.
• If you’re not sure, don’t touch it. Don’t unplug or switch anything you’re unsure about. Leave that for an adult.
• Stay warm in winter. Put on a sweater and socks, grab a blanket, and stay in one room.
• Never use the stove, oven or a barbecue for heat.
• Call or text a parent to let them know. Save your phone battery: no games or videos.
• Stay away from any power lines that are down outside. Always.

Thunderstorms and hail

Summer thunderstorms are common around Lethbridge, and some bring hail. Remember this saying from Environment and Climate Change Canada: “When thunder roars, go indoors!”

• If you hear thunder, you’re close enough to be struck by lightning. Come inside right away.
• Stay inside until 30 minutes after the last thunder.
• Inside, stay away from windows. Hail can crack glass.
• Wait to take a shower or bath, or wash dishes, until the storm passes.
• Don’t use things plugged into the wall. A cordless or mobile phone is fine.
• A picnic shelter, gazebo or tree is not a safe place in a storm.

Read more: Lightning safety from Environment and Climate Change Canada ↗

Tornado warning

Tornadoes don’t often hit any one town, but Alberta gets some every summer. If there’s a tornado warning for your area, or a parent or an alert tells you to take shelter:

1. Go to the basement right away. No basement? Go to the lowest floor, in a room in the middle of the house, like a bathroom, closet or hallway.
2. Stay away from windows. Don’t open them.
3. Get under something sturdy, like a strong table, and cover your head and neck with your arms.
4. Stay there until the warning is over or a parent tells you it’s safe. Bring your phone if it’s handy so you can text a parent.

Read more: How to prepare for tornados, Government of Canada ↗

Blizzards, extreme cold and chinook ice

Southern Alberta winters can bring blowing snow and bitter wind chill. On those days, the best place to be is inside.

• Stay in. Don’t go out to play or walk somewhere unless a parent says it’s okay.
• If you must go out, cover up: hat, mitts, scarf over your face, and warm boots.
• Know the signs of frostbite: skin turns white or greyish, feels numb, hard or waxy. Fingers, toes, ears, nose and cheeks get it first.
• If you think you have frostbite, go inside, warm the spot gently (don’t rub it), and tell an adult.

Alberta Emergency Alerts

Sometimes a phone, TV or radio makes a loud, unusual sound and shows a message. That’s an Alberta Emergency Alert. It’s how the government warns people quickly about things like tornadoes, floods or wildfires in their area.

• Stay calm and read the message. It tells you where and what is happening, and what to do.
• A critical alert means do what it says right away.
• An advisory alert means get ready, in case things change.
• Call or text a parent to tell them about the alert and what it says.

Read more: About emergency alerts, Government of Alberta ↗

Your job: the family ready kit

Many families keep an emergency kit with enough supplies for at least 72 hours (three days). The Government of Canada suggests families build it together, and you can have an important job.

Kid jobs for the ready kit:

• ☐ Know where the kit is kept
• ☐ Check the flashlight works and there are spare batteries
• ☐ Pack a small bag of your own: a change of clothes, a warm layer, a book or card game, and a favourite snack
• ☐ Help check “best before” dates on food and water once a year
• ☐ Add a copy of your emergency card

See the full list: Get an emergency kit, Government of Canada ↗, and our own preparedness page.

Doors, visitors and phone basics

• Keep the doors locked while you’re home.
• Don’t open the door for anyone you weren’t told to expect. Delivery people can leave packages or come back later. That’s normal and fine.
• On the phone, you don’t need to tell anyone you’re alone. Try: “My mom (or dad) can’t come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?”
• Don’t post online that you’re home alone.
• If something feels wrong, call a parent or go to the neighbour on your card. If it’s an emergency, call 911.

Am I home-ready? Checklist

Print this and check it off with your family.

• ☐ My emergency card is filled in and by the phone
• ☐ I know my address and a parent’s phone number by heart
• ☐ I know when to call 911 and what to say
• ☐ I know where the flashlight is
• ☐ I know the safest room for a tornado warning
• ☐ I know “When thunder roars, go indoors” and the 30-minute rule
• ☐ I know what an emergency alert is
• ☐ I know our family meeting place
• ☐ I know our door and phone rules

For parents

There’s no magic age. Families decide when a child is ready, based on maturity, comfort and how long they’ll be alone. Start with short stretches and build up.

• Practise together. Walk through each section of this page. Find the flashlight, the safest tornado spot and the ready kit together.
• Role-play calling 911 using a toy or switched-off phone. Never dial 911 as practice.
• Keep the card updated when numbers or neighbours change.
• Agree on clear rules: visitors, cooking, going outside, screen time, and when to check in.

The Canadian Red Cross Stay Safe! course ↗ is designed for kids aged 9 to 13 who are starting to spend time on their own. It covers safety rules at home, unexpected situations such as bad weather and strangers, and basic first aid.

Ready for more? The Red Cross Babysitting course ↗ (ages 11 to 15) teaches child care, safety and first aid. See Programs and Clubs for where to take it in Lethbridge.

Keep exploring

• Programs and clubs for kids and teens: courses, after-school programs and sports clubs
• Kids’ Science Corner
• Build a pocket first aid kit in a mint tin
• Preparedness
• First aid
• Everyday carry and vehicle kit
• Lethbridge forecast