Preparedness
Think ahead, before things go sideways. A practical plan for power outages, winter storms, wildfire smoke and the days when the roads or the phones stop working.
What to plan for around here
- Winter storms and extreme cold: highway closures, power outages and frozen pipes.
- Wind: downed power lines, damage, and blowing snow that shuts roads.
- Wildfire smoke: poor air quality for days at a time, even when the fires are far away.
- Summer storms: hail, lightning, heavy rain and the occasional tornado warning.
- Power and phone outages: what still works when the cell network or internet is down?
The 72-hour kit
- Water: about 4 litres per person per day.
- Food that doesn’t need cooking, and a manual can opener.
- Flashlights, a battery or crank radio, and spare batteries.
- First aid kit and a supply of any medications you need.
- Phone chargers and a charged power bank.
- Warm clothing, blankets and sturdy footwear.
- Cash in small bills, copies of important documents and a list of contacts on paper.
- Supplies for pets.
Keep a smaller version in each vehicle, with extra winter gear from fall to spring.
When the power goes out
- Keep the fridge and freezer closed. A full freezer can stay frozen for up to two days.
- Never use a barbecue, camp stove or generator indoors or in a garage. Carbon monoxide kills without warning.
- Unplug sensitive electronics so they aren’t damaged when power returns.
- In winter, close off unused rooms and gather in one space to stay warm. Know how to drain your pipes if the outage lasts.
Wildfire smoke
- Check the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) and keep windows closed when it’s high.
- A portable HEPA air cleaner in a bedroom makes a big difference.
- Children, older adults and people with heart or lung conditions should limit time outside.
Staying in touch
- Agree on a meeting place and an out-of-town contact everyone can check in with.
- Text messages often get through when calls don’t.
- Install the Alberta Emergency Alert app.
- Amateur radio works when everything else is down. See Emergency Comms on VE6DOK.
Dress for southern Alberta: Gary’s rules
- No cotton in winter. Cotton holds sweat and snowmelt and pulls heat out of you. Wool and synthetics keep working when they’re damp.
- Bread bags in your boots. An old prairie trick: slip a plastic bag over your socks before your boots go on and your feet stay dry.
- Spare socks, always. In the truck, in your pack, in your coat pocket. Dry feet are warm feet.
- Real mitts, not skinny little driving gloves. Mitts keep your fingers together and warm. Driving gloves are fine until you’re changing a tire at −25 °C.
- An emergency bivy and Mylar blanket in every vehicle. They weigh almost nothing and can save a life if you’re stuck.
- Summer counts too. Long, light clothing with UV protection and bug resistance beats sunburn and mosquitoes on the river bottom.
Around the house
- Seal the drafts. When Gary replaced his windows, sealing around the frames and behind the electrical boxes on outside walls made a noticeable difference. Foam gaskets behind outlet and switch covers are a cheap afternoon job.
- Know your flood coverage. Basic home insurance often doesn’t cover overland flooding. Check your policy before the spring melt or a big storm, not after.
Go deeper
- Everyday Carry & Vehicle Kit: Gary’s pocket kit and a full winter vehicle checklist.
- Bushcraft, Fieldcraft & Navigation: shelter, cordage, fire and map and compass.
Make a family plan
A kit is only half of it. Agree on a few things together:
- Two meeting places: one just outside your home (for a fire), and one outside the neighbourhood (if you can’t get home).
- An out-of-town contact everyone checks in with. Long-distance calls often get through when local lines are busy.
- Who picks up the kids if a storm hits during the school day.
- Where the shut-offs are for water, gas and power, and who knows how to use them.
- Special needs: medications, mobility aids, a neighbour who might need a check-in.
Kids can take on real jobs in the plan. Our Home Alone and Weather-Ready page has a printable emergency card and a ready-kit job for them.
Get alerts on your phone
Alberta Emergency Alert warns of tornadoes, wildfires, floods and other threats. Alerts reach phones, TV and radio automatically, free and with no subscription.
The free Alberta Emergency Alert app lets you add areas, such as where family lives or where you camp. Pair it with Environment and Climate Change Canada’s WeatherCAN app for weather warnings. More on our Weather apps page, and at Alberta.ca: Emergency alerts.
Extreme cold at home
Arctic air can sit over southern Alberta for days, with wind chills near −40. Protect the house as well as the people:
- Keep the furnace intake and exhaust vents on the outside of the house clear of drifting snow.
- Know where your main water shut-off is. If a pipe bursts, you’ll want it off fast.
- Open cupboard doors under sinks on outside walls so warm air reaches the pipes.
- Check on older neighbours and anyone living alone.
When a chinook ends, meltwater can freeze overnight. Keep traction grit by the door. See Sidewalks and snow.
Hail and summer storms
Hail season here runs mostly from June to August, usually in the afternoon and evening.
- On a severe thunderstorm warning, move vehicles under cover before the storm arrives.
- Bring in anything the wind can throw.
- Stay indoors and away from windows until the storm passes.
- Photograph any damage for insurance before you clean up.
River flooding along the Oldman
Most of Lethbridge sits high above the river, but river valley parks, trails and low-lying spots can flood after a fast melt or heavy June rain in the mountains.
- Watch for high streamflow advisories, flood watches and flood warnings for the Oldman River basin on Alberta Rivers, the Government of Alberta’s river forecasting site.
- Stay back from high, fast water. Banks can collapse.
- Never drive or walk through moving water on a road or trail.
Don’t forget the pets
If you have to leave, pets go with you. Pack a pet kit beside your own:
Food and water for 3 days, bowls, a leash or carrier, medications, vaccination records, a recent photo of your pet, and waste bags or litter.
Many emergency shelters can’t take pets. Line up a friend or relative outside the area ahead of time.
Keep reading: Everyday Carry and Vehicle Kit · First Aid · Planning Around the Weather
Keep reading
Also see: Forecasts, warnings & radar · Planning around the weather
Last updated October 2026.