IceStorm 98 Study

(iv) Emergency Plans – Specifics

1. Have emergency supplies on hand and back-up power arrangements for locations used by responders.
2. Prepare public service announcements ahead of time. (e.g., on staying warm; hypothermia; use of generators, space heaters, wood stoves, kerosene lamps; food safety; water safety; medications; security for homes, what to do before the power comes back on; how to get help; carbon monoxide poisoning; home escape planning; smoke alarms; what to bring to a shelter; downed transformers; railway crossings; traffic signals; coping with a crisis; donated food; pets; caring for the frail; injury prevention; etc., etc.
3. Include shelter planning in the emergency planning process, including shelters for pets.
4. Include planning for evacuations of hospitals, retirement homes, etc.
5. The Emergency Plan should include measures for dealing with: critical incident stress in responders; the needs of the responders’ families and homes; and compensation for responders.
6. All key positions set out in the Emergency Plan should have a primary person designated and 2 alternates.
7. An EOC manager should be appointed and EOC locations chosen and equipped ahead of time – have an EOC kit ready to go.
8. Establish a protocol for responding: e.g.,
   • call in, don’t wait to be called;
   • determine a meeting place ahead of time, in case communications are down;
   • establish a phone fan-out procedure; and/or
   • ensure senior responders are on a 24hr. pager and have a cell phone.
9. Establish relationships with other key emergency players in your area, perhaps through a CAER (Community Awareness and Emergency Response) Committee. Network! Network! Network!
10. Consider monitoring weather radio and/or contracting with Environment Canada for customized weather reports. (The City of Brockville Public Utilities Commission monitored custom weather reports and asked for assistance from Brampton early on, before the worst of the storm had hit.)
11. Plan for disengagement, as a small percentage of the public will inevitably come to rely on the emergency response.
12. Ensure all houses have an address and a number sign.