Fact sheet
Community of Red Deer (CA), Alberta
In 2014, information on the emergency preparedness of people living in the Census AgglomerationNote 1 of Red Deer was collected through the Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada (SEPR).Note 2 This fact sheet presents information on the risk awareness and level of emergency preparedness of the residents of Red Deer, which could help improve the understanding of community resilience in the event of an emergency.Note 3Note 4
Risk awareness and anticipated sources of help in an emergency or disaster
- Winter storms (including blizzards, ice storms and extreme cold) (94%), tornadoes (64%), industrial or transportation accidents (63%) and extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (63%) were named by residents of Red Deer as the most likely events to occur within their community.
- Residents most commonly anticipated turning to police or law enforcement in the event of rioting or civil unrest (57%) or an act of terrorism or terrorist threat (48%). They also reported that they would turn to news on the radio if they faced a weather-related emergency or natural disaster (38%) or an industrial or transportation accident (28%) (Table 1.1).
- Residents most frequently stated that they would anticipate turning to local government in the event of a contamination or shortage of water or food (51%) or an extended power outage (29%), and to a hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional if there was an outbreak of a serious or life-threatening disease (48%).
Prior lifetime experience with a major emergency or disasterNote 5
- Three in ten (29%) Red Deer residents have faced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community they were living in at the time of the event, more than half (56%) of whom reported experiencing severe disruptions to their daily activities as a result of the event.
- Floods (23%Note E: Use with caution) were the most commonly experienced emergencies or disasters by residents of Red Deer.
- The most common types of disruption to daily activities endured by residents who had experienced major emergencies or disasters included missing work or school (61%), missing an appointment or planned activity (52%) and an inability to use electrical appliances (39%Note E: Use with caution). More severe disruptions experienced were an inability to use roads or transportation within the community (46%Note E: Use with caution) and home evacuation (39%Note E: Use with caution).
- Most (84%) residents who experienced an emergency or disaster were able to resume their daily activities within one week of the event: 30%Note E: Use with caution within one to two days and another 31%Note E: Use with caution within three to five days.
- More than half (57%) of residents who had experienced an emergency or disaster received help during or immediately following the event, most commonly from a neighbour (35%Note E: Use with caution).Note 6
- One-quarter (26%Note E: Use with caution) of residents of Red Deer who experienced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community where they were living at the time of the event and which was significant enough to disrupt their regular daily routine also endured a loss of property or financial impact.
Emergency planning, precautionary and fire safety behaviours
- Three-quarters (76%) of people residing in Red Deer lived in households that were engaged in at least two emergency planning activities,Note 7 and one-half (53%) lived in households with three or four such activities (Table 1.2). One in twenty (5%Note E: Use with caution) people lived in a household that had not participated in any emergency planning activities.
- Half (50%) lived in a household with at least two precautionary measuresNote 8 taken in case of an emergency, and one-quarter (26%) lived in a household with three or four such measures. One-quarter (24%) of people lived in a household with no precautionary measures in place.
- The vast majority (98%) of residents reported living in a household with a working smoke detector, and approximately six in ten (63%) reported living in a household with a working fire extinguisher (Table 1.3). Two-thirds (68%) of residents stated that they had a working carbon monoxide detector in their household. However, less than one-half (44%) of the residents of Red Deer stated that they had implemented all three fire safety measures within their households.
- Generally, the number of emergency planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by residents of Red Deer did not significantly differ from Alberta residents overall or Canada’s 10 provinces in general. There were two exceptions: Red Deer residents (5%Note E: Use with caution) were less likely to have participated in no emergency planning activities but more likely to have no precautionary measures in place (24%) than Canadians in general (8% and 16%, respectively).Note 9
- There were some differences in the types of activities and measures set in place by residents of Red Deer when compared to residents of Alberta and Canada. For example, Red Deer residents (46%) were more likely to have a designated meeting place for household members but they were less likely to have an alternate heat source (36%) than both Albertans (33% and 45%, respectively) and Canadians (33% and 48%, respectively). In addition, residents of Red Deer were more likely to have an emergency exit plan (69%) and a working carbon monoxide detector (68%), but less likely to have a wind-up or battery-operated radio (48%)
Social networks and sense of belonging
- Half (52%) of Red Deer’s residents had a strong sense of belongingNote 10 to their community.
- Most (85%) residents described the neighbourhood they lived in as a place where neighbours generally help each other.Note 11 Of those who did not describe their neighbourhood this way, the majority (75%) still described it as a place where neighbours would help each other in an emergency.Note 12
- Many individuals had a large network of support in the event of an emergency or disaster, with more than five people to turn to for emotional support (68%), for help if physically injured (60%) as well as in case of a home evacuation (49%). One-quarter (25%) of residents had a large support network if financial help was needed. However, 6%Note E: Use with caution reported that they had no one to turn to for financial help.
- High levels of sense of belonging and social support, as well as civic engagement and involvement in political activities, were often associated with a higher level of emergency preparedness (Table 1.4).
Data tables
Most common sources of initial help and information by type of emergency or disaster | percent |
---|---|
Weather-related emergency or natural disaster | |
News- Radio | 38 |
News- Television | 25 |
News- Internet | 20 |
Extended power outages | |
Local government | 29 |
Utility company | 28 |
News- Radio | 14Note E: Use with caution |
Outbreak of serious or life-threatening disease | |
Hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional | 48 |
News- Television | 18Note E: Use with caution |
News- Radio | 17Note E: Use with caution |
Industrial or transportation accident | |
News- Radio | 28 |
Local government | 21Note E: Use with caution |
Police/law enforcement | 20 |
Contamination or shortage of water or food | |
Local government | 51 |
News- Radio | 16Note E: Use with caution |
News- Television | 13Note E: Use with caution |
Act of terrorism or terrorist threat | |
Police/law enforcement | 48 |
News- Radio | 19Note E: Use with caution |
News- Television | 15Note E: Use with caution |
Rioting or civil unrest | |
Police/law enforcement | 57 |
News- Television | 20Note E: Use with caution |
News- Radio | 18Note E: Use with caution |
E use with caution Note: Respondents who perceived their community was at risk for any form of emergency or disaster were then asked where they would turn to first for information or assistance in the event of the perceived emergency or disaster. Respondents could provide more than one response. Responses of 'don't know/not stated' are included in the total for the percentage calculation but are not footnoted when representing 5% or less of respondents. Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Number of planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by residents | Red Deer | Alberta | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Number of emergency planning activities | |||
None | 5Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note ** | 8 | 8 |
1 activity | 17Note E: Use with caution | 17 | 17 |
2 activities | 23 | 25 | 25 |
3 activities | 28 | 26 | 27 |
4 activities | 25 | 20 | 19 |
Number of precautionary measures | |||
None | 24Table 1.2, Note ** | 21 | 16 |
1 measure | 24 | 27 | 27 |
2 measures | 24 | 23 | 28 |
3 measures | 19Note E: Use with caution | 18 | 20 |
4 measures | 7Note E: Use with caution | 6 | 7 |
Number of fire safety measuresTable 1.2, Note 1Table 1.2, Note 2Table 1.2, Note 3 | |||
None | Note F: too unreliable to be published | 1Note E: Use with caution | 1 |
1 measure | 11Note E: Use with caution | 14 | 14 |
2 measures | 38 | 31 | 38 |
3 measures | 44 | 48 | 42 |
E use with caution F too unreliable to be published
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Residents whose households were involved in the following: | Red Deer | Alberta | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Emergency planning activities | |||
Emergency exit plan | 69Table 1.3, Note ** | 63 | 60 |
Exit plan has been practised/reviewed in last 12 monthsTable 1.3, Note 1 | 54 | 45 | 46 |
Designated meeting place for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 46Table 1.3, Note *** | 33 | 33 |
Contact plan for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 58 | 55 | 55 |
Household emergency supply kit | 47 | 43 | 47 |
Vehicle emergency supply kitTable 1.3, Note 3 | 74Table 1.3, Note ** | 69 | 59 |
Extra copies of important documents | 60 | 55 | 53 |
List of emergency contact numbers | 70 | 68 | 69 |
Plan for meeting special health needsTable 1.3, Note 4 | 75 | 64 | 62 |
Precautionary measures | |||
Wind-up or battery-operated radio | 48Table 1.3, Note ** | 49 | 58 |
Alternate heat source | 36Table 1.3, Note *** | 45 | 48 |
Back-up generator | 29 | 22 | 23 |
Alternate water source | 45 | 41 | 43 |
OtherTable 1.3, Note 5 | 24Table 1.3, Note * | 17 | 21 |
Fire safety measures | |||
Working smoke detector | 98 | 96 | 98 |
Working carbon monoxide detectorTable 1.3, Note 6 | 68Table 1.3, Note ** | 65 | 60 |
Working fire extinguisher | 63 | 65 | 66 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Social and political involvement | Percentage of residents who had high or moderately high levels of... | ||
---|---|---|---|
Planning activities | Precautionary measures | Fire safety measures | |
percent | |||
Engagement in political activitiesTable 1.4, Note 1 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 53 | 28 | 53 |
No | 44Note E: Use with caution | Note F: too unreliable to be published | 26Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.4, Note * |
High level of civic engagementTable 1.4, Note 2 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 59 | 31 | 55 |
No | 41Table 1.4, Note * | 16Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.4, Note * | 39Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.4, Note * |
High level of social supportTable 1.4, Note 3 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 65 | 33Note E: Use with caution | 61 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 49 | 25 | 40Table 1.4, Note * |
Strong sense of belonging to communityTable 1.4, Note 4 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 62 | 34 | 48 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 42Table 1.4, Note * | 18Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.4, Note * | 40 |
High neighbourhood trustTable 1.4, Note 5 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note 7Table 1.4, Note † | 59 | 35Note E: Use with caution | 43 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 49 | 23Note E: Use with caution | 45 |
High level of self-efficacyTable 1.4, Note 6 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note 7Table 1.4, Note † | 55 | 32 | 49 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 51 | 22Note E: Use with caution | 40 |
E use with caution F too unreliable to be published
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Notes
E use with caution
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