This week marks Emergency Preparedness Week in Canada, a chance for people to take the time to prepare themselves in the event of an emergency.

Natural disasters are likely the most common form of emergency here in Alberta, with memories of the Fort McMurray wildfire still prominent in Albertan's minds.

Even with billions of dollars in damage caused by natural disasters and emergency situations in Canada last year, a new survey done by Duracell found that only 51% of Canadians felt prepared to handle an emergency situation, with only 34% of them reporting that they already have a disaster preparedness kit.

Todd Gustafson is the Director of Emergency Management for Lacombe County, and he details some of the basic things you should have in your emergency kit.

"A non-perishable food item, water is a big one, medications, and then of course we can't forget about the pets as well. Are they prepared for their pets, do they have enough food if they had to take their pet with them for example. Is that that 72 hour kit mobile, that they could throw it in their vehicle and take it with them. It's a number of different emergencies, whether that be weather related, and or whether that be human related, in the sense that we got a train derailment, or an overturned dangerous goods truck on highway 2 for example, and depending on how the winds are blowing that could affect communities such as Blackfalds and the City of Lacombe, and have a significant impact on the residents there."

The Canadian association of Fire Chiefs outlined a few easy steps to remember when preparing for an emergency:

1) Know the Risks: Know the hazards in your community. For example, do you live in an area with extreme heat and dryness that could cause a wildfire? Or an area with bodies of water that are prone to flooding?

2) Make a Plan: Talk to your family members about a place to meet in the event of an emergency. It's also important to have a backup location in case you are unable to get to the first meeting place. They also recommend having one out of town family member to contact in case you can't contact each other.

3) Get an Emergency Kit: Lots of different things can go into your kit and they all should be tailored to your family. This includes flashlights, radio, important documents such as ID, batteries, non-perishable food, utensils, bottles water (2 litres per person per day is recommended), clothing and footwear, hygiene products, sleeping bags and blankets.

For more information, you can check out getprepared.gc.ca.