Nicole Taborowski, deployment and special events coordinator at the CFB Shilo MFRC, shows off the new Health Information Kits to be placed on residents’ fridges for easy grab-and-go emergency information. (Photo: K-J Millar/Shilo Stag News)

K-J Millar
Shilo Stag Media

A new grab-and-go household information kit has been developed by the Shilo Military Family Resource Centre (MFRC) to assist in emergency situations the centre announced on Jan. 8.

More than 1,000 kits will be available in the upcoming months for families to place on their refrigerators with vital information that emergency service personnel or attendees can easily access.

Rob Lavin, executive director of Shilo MFRC, said the initiative was spearheaded by staff member Nicole Taborowski, deployment and special events coordinator.

The HIKs (Household Information Kits) took 12 months to develop specifically for Military families, Taborowski said.

She collaborated with a working team of daycare, special needs, community development, marketing, and communication specialists.

“Over the past [year] our program professionals have identified and implemented complementary programming and services to further benefit our Military community,” she said.

The HIKs will be packaged in clear plastic sleeves with magnets for easy fridge mounting and include essential items such as front door HIK sticker, front door pet identification sticker, special needs sticker, childcare coordination plan, physician information, medication plan and medical conditions, personal emergency contact list and MFRC business card.

The Shilo packages were inspired by the Emergency Response Information Kits (ERIK) distributed to adults 55 and over in Manitoba.

The Shilo MFRC aims to share this initiative with other Military Family Resource Centres across Canada, where a similar program may not currently exist.

The rollout will include a marketing strategy to educate local partners, the military community, emergency services personnel, counselling support, and Shilo MFRC Early Learning Centre staff.

The goal is for anyone entering a military home to recognize the HIK and know how to use it in an emergency.

“We are thrilled to introduce the H.I.K. and deeply appreciate the funding from the Poppy Committee, Royal Canadian Legion Branch #003 in Brandon,” Lavin said.

“This initiative would not have been possible without their generous grant support.”

with files from MFRC