Emergencies and Being Prepared

Steps to make your plan

• Sit down with family members to develop an emergency plan. Consider conducting drills to practice your plan

• Consider that all municipalities are vulnerable to many potential emergencies like severe weather, chemical spills, or an influenza pandemic

• Determine safe rooms in your home to use for shelter

• Post emergency phone numbers and your address by the phone

• Ensure that even young children know their address and phone number

• Locate gas, water heater and electrical shutoffs in your home and mark them with labels (colour coded if possible)

• Prepare for family health needs (medication, medical supplies, etc.), make provisions for any special needs, learn First Aid and CPR. Establish a meeting place if separated during evacuation

• Plan not to leave pets behind, locate a shelter and pack supplies

• Install smoke and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home and check that they are working each month

Flooding

• Stay indoors and tune into your local media.
• Stay away from floodwaters.
• Do not stack sandbags against your house. This adds pressure to the walls and can cause damage.
• If you are not connected to a municipal drinking water system, you should be aware that overland flooding may impact the safety of your drinking water. An alternate source of drinking water should be used until flood waters have receded and your water source has been tested and demonstrated to be safe. Here is information on how to disinfect your private drinking water system.

See also:

• Food and water safety in power outages
• Cleaning up after a flood

Tornado watch

Watches are issued when severe weather may happen. This is time for you to prepare.

Tune into your local radio station for updates.

Tornado warning

Warnings are issued when a severe storm or tornado has been sighted or indicated by radar.

• Stay indoors and tune in to your local media.
• Seek shelter in the basement or in an interior room and under sturdy furniture, if possible. Stay away from windows, doors and outside walls.

Extreme Heat and Humidity

Visit our Heat and Humidity page for guidance.

Winter storms

• Stay indoors and tune in to local media.Do not over exert yourself while shovelling.
• Do not leave home unless necessary.
• Do not use barbecues or kerosene lanterns for indoor heating.
• Wear loose-fitting clothes and layer as needed.
• Have an emergency car kit, if you must travel.

Poor Air Quality

Visit our Air Quality page for guidance.

Chemical accidents

Chemical accidents could happen in the Nipissing and Parry Sound Districts in several ways, for example during a:

• Train derailment
• Transport truck incident
• Factory fire

If you are outside in a chemical emergency

• Stay upstream, uphill and upwind.
• Move so the wind is blowing from your left to your right, not at your back or in your face.
• Go indoors or in your car and close all windows and doors.
• Stay well away from the danger area.
• Follow instructions from local authorities.

If you are inside

• Stay inside and tune in to local media.
• Be prepared to follow all instructions given by emergency personnel.
• Close and lock all doors.
• Seal all entry points such as windows and doors with wet towels or duct tape.
• Close all fire place dampers and turn off ventilation systems (air vents and furnaces).
• Use telephone only for emergencies such as fire, medical or police.
• If you suspect vapours have entered your home, take shallow breaths through a wet towel or cloth.

Preparing to evacuate

• Tune in to your local media for more information.
• When evacuating, stay calm.
• In the winter, ensure furnace is on.
• Make provisions for pets and/or farm animals.
• Check on elderly or infirm neighbours.
• Drive carefully; do not rush.
• By ignoring a warning to evacuate, you jeopardize your family and those who might have to save you.

School children

• Do not attempt to pick up your children at their school until notified by school staff; you will be informed where to pick them up when it is safe.
• The safety of your children is the emergency personnel's priority.

Disabled and the elderly

• Please be sure to help disabled and elderly citizens in the community.
• If you are able to do so, assist them in the event of an evacuation.
• Consider giving them rides.