Emergency Planning | Township of North Glengarry

North Glengarry maintains and tests its Community Emergency Management Plan to both meet the terms of provincial legislation and to ensure it is ready in case of a community-wide emergency.

Each year, the plan is tested and discussions and training is ongoing with Emergency Management Ontario (EMO) and various departments within the township, emergency services and our community stakeholders.

More specifically, the Township's plan consists of the items listed below:

Community Emergency Management Plan Components

Designation of a Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator (CEMC)
Formation of a community emergency management program committee.
Publication of an approved community emergency plan.
Development of an appropriate community emergency operations centre.
Development of an appropriate community emergency response capability.
Conduct annual training and exercises for the emergency operations control group, employees of the municipality and other persons with respect to the provision of necessary services and the procedures to be followed in emergency response and recovery activities.
Development and implementation of a public awareness program and education on risks to public safety and on public preparedness for emergencies.
Identification of individuals to act as community emergency information staff.
Conduct an annual review of the community emergency management program.

Open a new window to download a copy of the Township of North Glengarry Emergency Response Plan.

Personal Emergency Planning & Preparedness

The municipality will rally its forces in the face of a community-wide disaster or emergency; however, residents need to be prepared as well.

Do you have a 72-hour emergency kit in case you have to leave abruptly or hunker down in your home during a wide scale emergency? You should always have an emergency preparedness kit ready to go.

Know the Risks

Knowing the risks specific to our community and our region can help you better prepare. Some of the hazards within North Glengarry include:

Earthquake/tremors
Flood
Cyber attack
Extreme heat/cold
Critical infrastructure failure
Transportation
Fires
Winter weather
Power outages
Human health emergency
Tornado

You can learn more about what to do in case any of these specific emergencies should occur here.

Make an Emergency Plan

Having a family emergency plan for a variety of potential situations, or different emergencies, can help your family members feel more prepared, reduce fear and anxiety, and respond effectively in an emergency.

Some important elements to include in your emergency plan are:

Have a meeting place. It is recommended to have two meeting places in case you have to leave your home, or can't return home right away.
Include all family members in your emergency plan; children, pets, seniors and any special needs or requirements these family members have.
Update emergency contacts. In addition to local contacts, have an out-of-town contact who lives far enough away that he or she is unlikely to be affected by the same event.
Keep a copy of your emergency plan in an easy-to-find, easy-to-remember place. It can also be helpful to keep an electronic version on your computer.

You can also make your plan online here.

Emergency Kit Checklist

During an emergency, you may have no electrical power, or be asked to evacuate. An emergency kit contains essential items you and your family need to survive on your own for at least 72 hours. Have an emergency kit at home, work and in your car. This kit should be easy to carry and portable. Update your kit twice a year to ensure the freshness of food and water, and change seasonally appropriate clothing.

Some important items to include in your kit are:

Flashlight and batteries
Radio and batteries or crank radio
Spare batteries and device chargers
First aid kit
Candles and matches/lighter
Extra car keys and cash
Copies of important documents
Non-perishable food (and food for pets)
Bottled water
Can opener
Clothing and footwear
Blankets or sleeping bags
Toilet paper and other personal hygiene supplies
Prescription medications (for you and any pets)
Backpack/duffle bag
Whistle to signal for help
Playing cards/games

Staying Connected in an Emergency

Your family may not be together when an emergency occurs. As part of your emergency preparedness, plan how to meet or how to contact one another.

Limit phone calls to urgent messages only. Keep calls short to free up the lines for others.
Listen to the radio, television and social media channels of local authorities for information. Local officials may advise you to stay where you are. Follow their instructions.
Notify your out-of-town contact of the emergency so they are aware of the situation.
Preserve battery life on cell phones and other devices. Dim your screen, and don't waste battery power on mobile games, apps, videos etc.

Emergency Alerts

In times of crisis it is important that residents have access to trusted, timely and accurate information to ensure their own safety and that of their family and loved ones. In response to this need, the Township of North Glengarry has chosen Voyent Alert! as the communication service provider for these kinds of events.

Voyent Alert! is a multi-purpose communication service used to send alerts to residents, businesses, and visitors during critical events like fires or floods as well as for relevant day-to-day communications such as snow removal advisories, planned maintenance, water advisories, etc. Learn more about Voyent Alert! here

Additional Resources