Recovery

Returning home safely

Don't return until officials say it is safe. When you do go back:

• Wear sturdy boots, long sleeves, gloves and, for smoke or ash, an N95 mask
• Look at the outside of the building before you go in. Stay out if it has shifted, the roof or walls have collapsed, or you smell gas
• If you smell gas, leave right away and call your gas or propane provider from a safe place. Only a qualified technician should turn gas back on
• Stay at least 10 metres from downed power lines and report them. Call 9-1-1 if a line is sparking or blocking a road
• Don't switch on power at the panel if there has been flooding. Have an electrician check it first
• Photograph all damage before you clean up or throw anything out
• Throw out food that has been in a fridge without power for more than 4 hours, or anything that smells off. When in doubt, throw it out
• Throw out refrigerated medication that has been without power for more than 24 hours, unless the label says otherwise
• Follow any boil-water advisory. If you have a well that may have been affected, have the water tested before you drink it
• Keep receipts for all extra expenses and repairs

Insurance

• Call your insurer or broker as soon as you can. Many policies cover additional living expenses during an evacuation.
• Don't throw away damaged items until your adjuster has seen them or told you to.
• Make temporary repairs to prevent further damage, and keep the receipts.
• For general questions about coverage, call the Insurance Bureau of Canada at 1-844-227-5422.

Financial help (HARP)

The Province's Hazard Assistance and Resilience Program replaced the former Disaster Recovery Program (DRP). It can help homeowners, tenants and small businesses with uninsurable losses after an approved disaster. It does not cover damage you could have insured.

• The program has to be approved for a specific event first. Your Summer Village will tell residents if and when applications open.
• Applications must be made within the time limit set for that event, usually 90 days.
• Find details and apply at alberta.ca/hazard-assistance-and-resilience-program.

Coping after a disaster

Everyone who lives through a disaster is affected by it in some way. Anxiety, grief, anger, trouble sleeping and difficulty concentrating are normal reactions to an abnormal event, and they usually ease over time.

• Get rest, eat regularly and keep to as normal a routine as you can.
• Pace yourself. Recovery is a long job, so set priorities and take breaks.
• Talk with family, friends, neighbours or your faith community. Communities that pull together recover faster.
• Limit how much news and social media you watch about the event.
• Accept help when it is offered.

Helping children cope

Children take their cues from the adults around them. Younger children may regress (bedwetting, clinginess, sleep problems), and older children and teens may become withdrawn, angry or take risks.

• Reassure them they are safe, and give them simple, honest facts about what happened and what happens next.
• Let them talk about their feelings and ask questions, and listen.
• Get back to normal routines for meals, bedtime and school as soon as possible.
• Limit their exposure to news coverage, which can make the event feel like it's happening over and over.
• Give them small jobs in the recovery so they feel part of it.

Pets after a disaster

• Keep pets leashed or contained for the first few days. Familiar smells and landmarks may be gone, and stressed animals get lost easily.
• Watch for changes in behaviour. Normally calm pets can become fearful or defensive.
• If your pet is missing, contact local animal shelters and your Summer Village office, and post a photo with your contact details.

When to get help

Reach out for support if you or someone in your family:

• Can't get back to normal routines after several weeks
• Feels hopeless, overwhelmed or unable to cope
• Is drinking or using drugs more than usual
• Has thoughts of hurting themselves or others

Number	Service
9-1-1	Emergency: police, fire, ambulance
9-8-8	Suicide Crisis Helpline. Call or text, 24 hours
1-877-303-2642	Mental Health Helpline (Alberta), 24 hours
1-866-332-2322	Addiction Helpline (Alberta), 24 hours
8-1-1	Health Link: nurse advice, and the addiction and mental health team
2-1-1	211 Alberta: find community, social and financial supports. Call, text or chat, 24 hours
1-800-668-6868	Kids Help Phone. Call or text, 24 hours
1-855-242-3310	Hope for Wellness Helpline for Indigenous people, 24 hours

Volunteering and donating

• Cash is the most helpful donation. Give through a trusted organization such as the Canadian Red Cross or the Salvation Army.
• Don't send or drop off goods unless they have been asked for. Sorting and storing unrequested items takes volunteers away from people who need help.
• Don't go to a disaster area to help on your own. Volunteer through an established organization so you are trained, insured and sent where you are needed.
• Recovery needs volunteers for months, long after the news coverage ends.

More: After an emergency (Government of Alberta) · What to do after an emergency fact sheet, in several languages