Disasters and emergencies can strike anytime, anywhere and sometimes without warning, leaving you no time to make plans about where to go and what to do. Every year communities such as ours experience events that pose a significant risk to the lives, health, safety and property of the people in them.
An emergency can force you to evacuate your home or shelter-in-place for an extended period of time. You might not have the opportunity to gather resources that you need and family members may be in different locations when the incident occurs. Communication networks can break down and electricity, water or gas service to your home may be disrupted. Roads could be blocked or closed and regular sources of food, water and gasoline might not be available.
Residents have a key role to play in responding to emergencies. The best defence is to be proactive. You have a responsibility to yourself and your family to take the necessary steps in Emergency Preparedness.
Be Prepared
Being prepared ahead of time will help you and your family cope with an emergency more effectively and enable you to make a faster recovery.
Resilient communities have residents who are educated on the risks that may affect them, and are empowered to use their skills, knowledge and resources and adapt them to use in extraordinary circumstances. Sustainability starts with community resilience and the key to a resilient community is an empowered, engaged and proactive culture and mindset.
Take the time now to be prepared.
Emergency Management Program
The ultimate purpose of Emergency Management is to save lives, preserve the environment and protect property and the economy. It raises the understanding of risks and contributes to a safer, sustainable and more resilient society while fostering a proactive culture. By enabling, empowering and inspiring all emergency management partners (all Canadians), we can collectively strengthen our ability to better prevent/mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergencies.
King Township’s Emergency Management Program is based on the four emergency management components; Prevention / Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery and includes many proactive and diverse program elements.
King Township acknowledges the importance of emergency preparedness and the need for all areas of society to work together to enhance our community’s resilience. With the ever-changing emergency management environment and risk landscape, and the increase in frequency of both natural and human induced hazards and disasters, the management of emergencies and our response to them a municipality, challenge us to achieve a brave, sustainable, championship culture.
King’s Emergency Management Program is committed to building community resilience through a high level of individual and collective awareness, preparedness, coordinated response actions and positive, collaborative partnerships and community engagement.
Emergency Alerts - Stay Connected
There are many reliable forms of communications that can keep you up-to-date and well informed during an emergency. Radio, television, reliable websites, and official social media channels are the best places to get information during an emergency. Use a battery-powered or crank radio if the power is out and cell networks are down.
You can get support from your existing personal networks, but remember if you need help right away because of an injury or immediate danger, call 9-1-1.
The following sources may help you to stay informed and connected during an emergency:
Personal Networks
Connect through your existing support network of family and friends during an emergency. Consider the connections you already have through sports teams, community groups and neighbourhood friends. Organize your Emergency Phone Contacts and update your phone list often in your Emergency Plan.
During an emergency, consider updating your personal social media status to let your family and friends know you are okay. Facebook allows you to mark yourself safe in an emergency.
Township Website
Helpful Links
LOCAL
Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority
PROVINCIAL
Ministry of Solicitor General, Emergency Management Ontario