Sample Presentation

1. Emergency Preparedness Education Sample Presentation Adapted from the Basic Emergency Management (BEM) course, Emergency Management Ontario (2004) Note: This presentation was designed for provincial ministries and municipalities. Content needs to be adapted to use with board of health staff.

2. Components of Emergency Management Preparedness Mitigation Response Recovery

3. Lesson Objectives • Define preparedness • Understand the main elements of preparedness • Learn about and discuss preparedness programs and strategies at the community, provincial and federal levels • Participate in a preparedness activity

4. Preparedness “Actions taken prior to an emergency or disaster to ensure an effective response” Emergency Management Ontario Glossary of Terms

5. Pillars of Preparedness TRAINING EXERCISES EMERGENCY PLANS EMERGENCY OPERATIONSCENTRE EMERGENCY INFORMATION PUBLICAWARENESS & PUBLIC EDUCATION THE FOUNDATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS HIRA

6. Preparedness Not preparedness Preparedness or Not Preparedness Police liaison officers raising awareness about safety with schoolchildren Sending police cruisers to an accident site Planning how to respond to a terrorism incident Compensating victims of a shipping accident Zoning vulnerable areas as non-residential Conducting a tabletop exercise

7. Emergency Plans • Communities: • By-laws are required for establishing and approving Emergency Response Plan • Ministries: • Ministry Emergency Response Plans must be approved by the Minister

8. Emergency Plans 1 All-Hazards Hazard-specific A generic emergency plan that describes activities and arrangements to deal with any emergency situation in the community Emergency plans are developed based on identified hazards and risk assessments In Ontario, emergency planning for communities is based on the specific hazards and risk assessment carried out through HIRA

9. Emergency Management Program Plans • Plans are living documents • Planning is an ongoing process, not just writing the plans to be put on a shelf • Planning should be a team effort

10. Various Types of Plans for an Emergency Management Program • Some key plans are: •  Mitigation plans • Emergency response plans • Recovery plans • Public Awareness/Public Education plans • Continuity of operations/Business continuity plans • Other supporting plans may be: • Emergency information • Hazard-specific plans • Evacuation plans • Telecommunications plans

11. Business Continuity Planning • Continuity of Operations/Business Continuity Program is an ongoing process supported by senior management • Purpose is to ensure that necessary steps are taken to: • Identify the impact of potential losses • Maintain viable recovery strategies and recovery plans • Ensure continuity of services through: • Staff training • Plan testing • Maintenance

12. Emergency Operations Centre 2 • Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is a facility where the Community Control Group or a Ministry Action Group assembles to manage an emergency • EOC is a requirement under the Emergency Management Act • Communities/Ministries should have a primary and an alternate location for the EOC

13. Training 3 • Community-based Training • Communities/Ministries are required to provide annual emergency management training to their staff • Training is an important element of building emergency response capability • If an actual emergency happens, people should know what they are supposed to do and whom they will be working with as a group • Basic Emergency Management course is an example of a course that is delivered by communities • EMO’s new video for CCG training is now available

14. Exercises 4 • What is an exercise? • A focused practice activity that places participants in a simulated situation requiring them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event • Communities/Ministries are required to conduct annual exercises • Communities/Ministries should develop an exerciseprogram

15. Exercises • Should be based on the hazards and risks identified through HIRA • Can be designed to: test equipment, evaluate plans, or facilitate training • Ensure that a plan’s elements are realistic and effective • Ensure that the plan remains a living document and is supported by the annual exercising, reporting and plan revision • Create interest, especially with the media • Remember that we exercise the plan, not the people

16. Developing an Exercise Program • Exercise programs involve long-term planning • Consider the need for involvement from many groups: • Police/fire/EMS • Media • Industry • Upper/lower tier municipalities • Provincial/federal agencies • Conservation authorities • Progress from simple to more complex exercises

17. Exercise Safety • Advance notice is needed so that the exercise is not confused with a real event • Each telephone call or message should start and end with “This is an exercise” • All documents produced or distributed should have “This is an exercise” printed clearly on them • “No duff” is used when information pertaining to a REAL emergency must be communicated during an exercise • Physical safety of participants is critical • Safety needs depend on the type of exercise

18. After Any Exercise • Hold a hotwash de-briefing (evaluation): • What went well? • What have we learned? • What will we do next time to improve? • Write a report shortly after the exercise • Make the report and de-briefing a positive experience for participants • Use the exercise to update your emergency management program (e.g., plans, procedures, resource deployment)

19. Emergency Information 5 • Emergency Information is the communication of information to the public in order to protect their health, safety, welfare and property • Emergency Information is a required part of an emergency response plan • Emergency Information: • Is usually directed to the media for the public • Contributes to a well managed emergency • May be delivered as advisories, bulletins or warnings

20. Public Awareness and Public Education 6 • Provides information about emergency management, to suggest ways to reduce the risk of loss of life and property damage in the event of an emergency • Enhances public willingness to follow instructions from authorities during an emergency • Provides opportunities for public consultation during the planning process • Secures public participation in exercises

21. Public Awareness • Provides generic information to the broader public to raise awareness • Not targeted to a specific audience • For example, you might ask people to be aware of whether they live in “Tornado Alley”

22. Public Education • Provides focused information to a target audience to educate about protective actions to reduce the risk of life and property damage, in the event of an emergency • For example, you might ask people who do live in “Tornado Alley”: • Do you know what to do before, during and after the impact of a tornado in your community?

23. Public Awareness Emergency Survival Checklist • Flashlight and batteries • Radio, batteries/crank radio • Spare batteries • First-aid kit • Candles and matches/lighter • Extra car keys and cash • Important papers • Food and bottled water • Clothing and footwear • Blankets or sleeping bags • Toilet paper and other personal items • Medication • Backpack/duffel bag • Whistle • Playing cards, games

24. Pillars of Preparedness TRAINING EXERCISES EMERGENCY PLANS EMERGENCY OPERATIONSCENTRE EMERGENCY INFORMATION PUBLICAWARENESS & PUBLIC EDUCATION THE FOUNDATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS HIRA

25. Lesson Summary • Preparedness is actions taken prior to an emergency or disaster to ensure an effective response • Preparedness includes emergency plans, maintaining an Emergency Operations Centre, training, exercises, emergency information, public awareness and public education • HIRA should be the foundation of the preparedness component of an emergency management program

26. Preparedness QUESTIONS?