Leave your home as soon as the local emergency measures officials recommend it. Ignoring their advice could endanger you and your family, as well as the people who will eventually have to come and rescue you.

Follow the safety instructions issued by the authorities.

• immediately leave the area;
• follow the instructions issued by the authorities;
• If you are a flood victim, register with the City of Gatineau by calling 311;
• if requested to do so, shut off the power;
• only shut off the gas if requested to do so because only the gas company can restart it, which can take some time;
• shut and lock your doors and windows when you leave;
• take the route indicated by the authorities;
• if you have time, leave a note indicating when you left and where you went.

What should you take with you when you evacuate?

• cell or mobile phones with chargers;
• warm clothes, rainwear, boots, and change of clothing for a few days;
• personal care items;
• medication and prescriptions;
• milk and diapers for babies;
• wallet and cards (health insurance, credit cards, and driver's licence);
• important documents and phone numbers (passport, insurance policy, etc.);
• games/toys for the kids;
• blankets and pillows; and
• pets as well as their food, leashes and accessories. Carry them in a crate, and put a muzzle on big dogs. Remember that animals are not permitted in the municipal emergency shelters.

Only use your vehicle if the water level is low enough

• when in doubt, do not take it because if it stalls, you could block the road and prevent emergency vehicles from getting by;
• follow the routes indicated by the authorities, and do not take shortcuts because you could end up at a dead end or in a dangerous situation;
• drive carefully.

If you do not have any means of transportation, go to one of the meeting places indicated by the authorities.

Report at a help centre for evacuees, and let them know where you can be reached.

Consult the Gatineau Web site at gatineau.ca/flood or call 311 for information, including about the centres for evacuees.

Do not

• pack a suitcase, unless you have enough time;
• waste time phoning; or
• return to your home unless you have been given the green light.

Returning home after an evacuation

• do not return home unless the authorities have given you the green light;
• you can enter your home once the water has receded from the road and your home is accessible;
• you should ideally return home in daylight so you can more clearly see problems and dangers;
• if the power was not shut off before the flooding, do not enter your home until a qualified electrician has determined that it is safe to do so;
• the electrical panel must be cleaned, dried and tested by a qualified electrician to ensure that it is safe;
• any appliance that got wet during the flooding could give off an electrical shock or catch fire when turned on, so do not use any electrical, heating, pressure or pump appliance until a qualified electrician has cleaned, dried and inspected them; and
• depending on where you live, the person in charge of inspections at the municipal or provincial level is responsible for issuing the necessary permits for your electricity distributor to restore power to your home.