Snow, wind, rain, floods or fires - disasters can happen at any time.

And Okotoks Fire Department Chief Ken Thevenot says that's why it's important to know the risks and have a response plan in place.

"There's a lot of different risks in our region that we should be aware of and individuals should be prepared for," Thevenot says. "Individuals should have an emergency plan, knowing these risks, and have evacuation plans in place to be prepared in the event that we had to evacuate out of our community."

Emergency Preparedness Week runs from May 7 to 13 and the theme for this year's campaign is Plan. Prepare. Be Aware.

To kick off the week, the Okotoks Fire Department, along with the Town of Okotoks, will be hosting an open house Sunday. Thevenot says there will be something for everyone at the event.

"We'll be showcasing some of our emergency preparedness equipment, such as the sandbagging machine for floods, or diking materials and water rescue-type equipment," Thevenot says. "Our command centre will be here on site as well so people can tour around and go through that."

The Emergency Preparedness Week open house will be held Sunday, May 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the north fire station on Milligan Drive in Okotoks.

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