Emergency Preparedness

The Ontario Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act requires municipalities to develop and implement an emergency management program.

In East Hawkesbury, the Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) is responsible for the development and implementation of the program. The CEMC is also responsible for coordinating the town's program with those of neighbouring municipalities, provincial ministries and other non-governmental organizations involved in emergency management.

The coordinator works with a municipal committee composed of representatives from the various departments of the municipality. They are responsible for:

Identifying hazards to the community and assessing the risk of them occurring.
Identifying critical infrastructure for the proper functioning of the municipality.
Preparing an emergency plan and obtaining approval from Emergency Management Ontario.
Identify an Emergency Operations Centre.
Create an inventory of community emergency services, access capacity to respond to an emergency and determine additional resource requirements.
Provide annual training for community control group members and support staff.
Conduct an annual practice exercise to evaluate the emergency plan.
Develop an emergency awareness campaign for the community.
Provide emergency management expertise and administrative support during an emergency.
Ensure that the plan is updated and reviewed annually.

East Hawkesbury Emergency Plan

The emergency plan was last revised on May 14, 2018

Prepare your emergency plan

Emergencies are unpredictable. As a citizen, you have an important role to play in your own safety and that of your family if an emergency occurs. Take the time to talk with your family, assess the risks and prepare yourself. In the event of a disaster, it may take some time for help to be organized. Are you able to meet the basic needs of you and your family for the first 72 hours?

A family emergency plan can help you respond better and reduce the stress associated with an emergency.

See the following links:

Exercise at least once a year

This may seem trivial, but you should do an emergency drill at least once a year. As a family, you can review the possible risks in your home and neighborhood. Discuss together the different options for evacuating your home and neighborhood.

Bryce Luker

Fire Chief