Contact

Tim Hunt

Chief Administrative Officer

705-342-5252

FAQs

Q. When would the Municipality declare an Emergency?

A. There are many factors that could influence the Municipality in its decision whether to declare an Emergency. The majority of these parameters can be found in this document: Criteria in Consideration of a Declaration of Emergency

Q. Who can declare a Municipal Emergency?

A. As written under the Provincial legislation, only the Head of Council or Designate can declare an Emergency.

Q. How does the Municipality prepare for an Emergency?

A. Our Municipality prepares for an emergency by pre-planning various scenarios it believes may occur or have occurred in the past and may occur again. These pre-planned scenarios make up our Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA).

Q. Why Does the Municipality bother with Emergency Planning? Should this not be a Provincial or Federal Matter?

A. All three levels of Government in Canada have different responsibilities dictated in Legislation based on the nature of the disaster. By far, the majority of emergencies and disasters which occur in Canada are the responsibility of a Municipality to respond to and mitigate.

Q. Why should I prepare to look after myself for 72 hours?

A. The foundation of Emergency Planning in North America is based upon the principles laid down in NFPA 1600 Standard on Disaster and Emergency Management. This document has been adopted by the Department of Homeland Security in the United States and the Province of Ontario. Part of the founding principles is that citizens must be prepared to take care of themselves for the first 72 hours after an emergency or disaster occurs. It is well documented that Emergency Response services are overwhelmed with initial response to the disaster and that most disasters are mitigated in 3 days. If this is compounded by able persons demanding help for simple necessities such as food, water and shelter; then the persons who are in TRUE need for assistance will not get the help they need and may perish. Therefore, if every able citizen prepares a simple disaster kit which will see them through the first 72 hours, the outcome for the community and long term impact is often not as devastating.

Please review our 72-hour emergency preparedness document for more details.