May 5th to 11th is Emergency Preparedness Week City is asking residents “Are You Ready?”

HAMILTON, ON – Since 1996, cities across the country recognize Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week, an annual national public education initiative that focuses on the importance of individuals and families being prepared for emergencies before they happen. At the City of Hamilton, the Hamilton Fire Department is responsible for the management of the City’s Emergency Operations Centre, Emergency Plan and building the City’s resiliency in the event there is an impact to the delivery of services residents depend on. This year’s theme, which runs from May 5th to 11th, asks residents “Are You Ready?”. This theme highlights the role everyone in the community plays to make sure they are ready in the event of an emergency.

There are three steps residents can take to ensure they are ready for any emergency:

1. Know the risks: knowing the risks in your area can help you better prepare in the event of an emergency
2. Make a plan: make sure everyone in your household knows what to do before, during and after an emergency
3. Get a Kit: Prepare today. Don’t wait for an emergency to happen.  If an emergency happens, you will need some basic supplies. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours

Some of the risks that the City of Hamilton prepares for are:

• Severe Weather including flooding and ice storms
• Large Scale Power Outages
• Spills involving hazardous materials

More information on how to be prepared is available at www.hamilton.ca/emergency and www.ontario.ca/beprepared

Quick Facts

• The City of Hamilton has 1 of only 5 stand-alone municipal Emergency Operations Centres (EOC) in Ontario.
• The City of Hamilton has a municipal Emergency Plan that is updated annually and outlines how the City and its emergency response agencies will coordinate themselves to respond to, and help the city recover from a large-scale emergency.
• The City of Hamilton uses the Incident Management System as the municipal emergency response model which is an internationally recognized system for responding to emergencies.

Additional Resources

• City of Hamilton Emergency Plan
• How to get more information during an emergency
• Video: How to prepare for emergencies