Emergency Preparedness Week (EP Week) is a national awareness initiative and an opportunity for you to take action to ensure you're prepared to protect yourself, your family and your community during an emergency. This year, the theme is Be Prepared. Know Your Risks. We encourage you to understand the risks in your area and learn what actions you can take to protect yourself and your household.

As part of Emergency Preparedness Week, we're inviting all kids ages 3 to 12 to join our fun and creative colouring contest! This is a great chance to teach your children about the importance of being ready for emergencies while letting their imaginations shine through art.

TWO lucky winners will be selected to receive:

1) A fully stocked Emergency Preparedness Kit
2) An official Junior Firefighter Badge
3) A once-in-a-lifetime ride to school in a fire truck for you and two guests! (Note: To be eligible for the fire truck ride, participants must be attending a school within Loyalist Township.)

How to Enter:
1. Download the Colouring Page here
2. Get Creative! Colour the page using your favourite tools—crayons, markers, pencils—whatever inspires you!
3. Submit Your Artwork
Online: Click the link below to upload your completed colouring sheet. Deadline for submission is May 9th at 11:59 p.m.
In Person: Prefer to drop it off? Bring your finished artwork to the Odessa Municipal Office during regular business hours. Please note the last day for in-person submission is Friday, May 8th at 12:30 p.m.

Winner Selection:

Two winners will be chosen by the Loyalist Township Fire & Rescue Emergency Services team. Each staff member will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite colouring sheet, and the two entries with the most votes will be our winners.

The Colouring Contest will open on April 27th, 2026, and will close on May 9th, 2026.

Create Your Family Emergency Plan in Just 20 Minutes

Preparing for an emergency is easier than you think—and it only takes about 20 minutes to create a reliable family emergency plan using online prompts. Once completed, you can print your plan and keep it handy for quick reference whenever needed.

Before you begin, take a few minutes to consider the following:

• Safe exits from home and neighbourhood

• Meeting places to reunite with family or roommates

• Designated person to pick up children should you be unavailable

• Contact persons close-by and out-of-town

• Health and insurance information

• Places for your pet to stay

• Risks in your region

• Location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical panel, gas valve, and floor drain

Sign up for CodeRED and receive messages when an emergency is happening in Loyalist Township!

Loyalist Township uses the CodeRED notification system to help us get important messages to you quickly when an emergency is happening.

CodeRED is a notification system you can sign up for. When you subscribe you will get alerts about emergencies and other important situations happening near you. We can deliver alerts to you by phone, text, email, or TDD for the hearing impaired, depending on what you choose.