Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada offers a registration service for Canadians travelling or living abroad. This service is provided so that travellers can be contacted and assisted in an emergency, such as a natural disaster, civil unrest, or a family emergency at home.
While the Government of Canada will do what it can to assist Canadians in the event of an emergency, local officials will have the lead in managing the emergency and delivering assistance to all persons in the affected area. The New York City Office of Emergency Management offers very useful advice on how individuals can prepare for an emergency, in or out of the City.