Emergency Planning

Emergency Management Program

The Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act mandates municipalities to be pro-active and consistent in their approach to Emergency Management. Under the Act, all municipalities in Ontario (Counties and local municipalities) must meet their emergency planning objectives following a phased approach. The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, under the guidance of its Emergency Management Program Committee, maintains the essential level requirements of the program, including the identification of critical infrastructure and accessing the most likely hazards to occur within Leeds and Grenville.

Emergency Management Program Committee

Chief Chris Lloyd, the Counties Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC), chairs the Committee and coordinates its activities. The Emergency Management Program Committee holds regular meetings quarterly and as required. The committee is representative of the true diversity across Leeds and Grenville and the interest and commitment of the community in Emergency Planning and Preparedness. The committee meets to discuss all aspects of the Emergency Management Program and the input provided  helps to guide the Coordinator. The membership on the committee is comprised of:

• Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC)
• Alternate CEMC
• Communications Manager
• Police
• Director of Works, Planning Services and Asset Management
• Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit Representation
• County Fire Coordinator
• Administrative Assistant

The Committee is also responsible for the annual revision and enhancement of the Counties Emergency Response Plan.

Emergency Response Plan

On October 20, 2016, Counties Council adopted the updated Emergency Response Plan under By-Law 16-71. The plan was developed by the Emergency Management Program Committee and is reviewed annually to ensure that it remains current and contains appropriate measures to address risks within the community as they are identified. The public version of the plan is published on the website.

Community and Social Services Emergency Response Role

The Community and Social Services (CSS) Division of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville has the mandate to meet the basic needs of residents of member and separated municipalities within Leeds and Grenville in the event of a peacetime emergency. This authority has been accorded to CSS under By-Law 99-49. The plan has been developed in concept with community partners, all of whom play an essential role in the provision of these services.

In the event of a peacetime emergency, CSS may be requested by a municipality to provide the following services to evacuees and/or volunteers:

• emergency feeding
• emergency clothing
• emergency lodging
• emergency registration and inquiry
• emergency psycho-social services

Pre-designed evacuation centres exist across Leeds Grenville. These locations have been selected for their accessibility, ability to house large numbers of evacuees, and they meet applicable health and safety regulations.  In the event of an emergency, CSS employees, along with members of a number of partner agencies, staff and operate the evacuation centres.

Training

The Basic Emergency Management Program (BEM) serves as the pre-requisite for all further or additional courses through Emergency Management Ontario or the Federal Emergency Preparedness College. It is a total of three days in length and is accredited through Emergency Management Ontario. The CEMC is trained to deliver the program. This course may be offered by member and separated municipalities within the Counties as well. If you would like to learn more about this training, please send an email to the link below.

Public Education and Awareness Program

Leeds Grenville and the Emergency Management Program Committee are committed to promoting and encouraging public education and awareness of emergency planning. Our primary focus is encouraging individuals and their respective families to take actions to ensure personal emergency preparedness.

The public education and awareness program aims at providing information to our citizens about some of the hazards which exist in our communities. The objective is to ensure that residents and visitors are well-informed and as prepared as possible to cope with an emergency. In particular, the program stresses the importance of every individual being self-sufficient for up to 72 hours following an emergency. Recent events world-wide have demonstrated that in the event of a large-scale emergency or disaster, it can take up to 72 hours for coordinated emergency response to occur.

Follow the links for additional public information and pamphlets.

• Emergency Management Ontario
• Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
• Leeds, Grenville & Lanark District Health Unit
• Keep updated with flood risk notifications by visiting the Conservation Authority in your area. 

      Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority

      Rideau Valley Conservation Authority

      South Nation Conservation Authority

Alert Ready , Canada's Emergency Alert System, is designed to deliver critical and potentially life-saving alerts through television and radio so you know when to take action to keep yourself and your family safe.  Note: as of April 6, 2018 compatible mobile devices will be able to receive emergency alerts (natural disaster notifications). Find out if your device is compatible www.alertready.ca

Emergency Preparedness Week - May 5 to May 11, 2019

Emergency Preparedness Week is a Canada-wide initiative to increase awareness of individual & family preparedness.
The Emergency Management & Civil Protection Act requires all municipalities to have a plan that outlines how it will respond to emergencies within its jurisdiction. Please check your local municipality’s website for your local Emergency Plan.

Know the Risks

This is an important part of being prepared during a natural disaster. Know the risks in your area & start to prepare. You should be aware of hazards that can trigger emergencies, such as bomb threats, chemical spills or infectious disease outbreaks.

What does "Shelter in Place" mean?

Get Inside, Stay Inside
If local officials tell you to “stay put,” act quickly. Listen carefully to local radio/TV stations for instructions, because the exact directions will depend on the emergency. You should:

• Get inside. Bring your emergency supplies, & pets, if possible.
• Find a safe spot in this location. The spot depends on the emergency, and stay put until officials say it is safe to leave.

For more information, visit emergency.cdc.gov/shelterinplace.asp

Make a Plan

It will help your family to have an emergency plan & know what to do in case of an emergency. Your family may not be together when an emergency occurs. Plan how to meet or how to contact one another & discuss what you would do in different situations. To help fill out your home emergency plan, visit emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/beprepared/beprepared.html

Build a Kit

In an emergency, you will need to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours. Your kit needs to be easy to carry & in a location that your family knows where it is. For items in an Emergency Kit, visit emergencymanagementontario.ca/english/beprepared/beprepared.html

Using Technology During a Disaster

• Use texting, email or social media to communicate.
• If you need to call, talk briefly to conserve phone battery.
• Unable to call? Wait 10 seconds before redialing to reduce network congestion. Remember cordless phones will not work in outages. Keep a corded phone in your home.

Keep extra batteries or a charger for your mobile device.
Keep your contact list updated.
ALERT READY In addition to TV & radio alerts, compatible mobile devices are able to receive emergency alert notifications from the Alert Ready system. Find out if your device is compatible at www.alertready.ca
Note: If your phone is not compatible, you can subscribe to receive emergency alerts by email, SMS texts and social media.

www.GetPrepared.ca

Emergency Exercises

Leeds Grenville recognizes the importance of conducting regular emergency exercises and is committed to supporting our member and separated municipalities and partner agencies by participating in their exercises. In addition, every year, members of the Counties Control Group participate in an exercise specially designed to assess and practice our emergency response role.