With Emergency Preparedness Week on May 7-13, it's a great time to begin discussing how residents can get better prepared for emergencies.
King Township just approved our Emergency Plan which covers the staffing, location of emergency headquarters, communications, procedures and protocols in case of a significant emergency in the Township. It is also your individual responsibility to be prepared:
Know the risks;
Make a plan;
Get an emergency kit/Prepare a Go Bag.
The top hazard risks identified for King Township are: infectious diseases, road emergencies, extreme heat, tornado, electrical energy outage (winter), and extreme winter weather.
Emergencies can happen at any time and occur anywhere, sometimes without warning. An emergency can force you to evacuate your home and neighbourhood or confine you to your home or workplace. It can leave you without basic services such as water, gas, electricity or phone. As a resident, you have a responsibility to yourself and your family to be prepared for emergencies and be able to take care of yourselves for at least three days (72 hours) by having a home emergency kit and a small Go Bag in case of evacuation.
Businesses also need a plan. Be prepared ahead of an emergency; think through all issues that could disrupt your business, plan steps to limit the effects from the identified potential hazards and identify critical processes or services that will need to remain open after an emergency. Ensure essential documents containing legal information, key customer contacts, and financial records are secured in a remote location and backed up regularly.
Want to learn more? Get familiar with King Township's Emergency Preparedness Plan.
King Fire & Emergency Services has educational material on Emergency Preparedness which you can request from the Community Resilience & Risk Reduction Division. Additionally, you can visit the Government of Canada's Emergency Preparedness Guide.
If you are a business, you can also obtain more information on Business Continuity Planning by contacting King Chamber of Commerce.
If you are a vulnerable resident or may need special assistance in an emergency situation you can call or email and register your name and address at: 905-833-2800; hwatson@king.ca.
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