Having an emergency plan means being ready for a range of situations, from severe storms to evacuations. The Ontario SPCA encourages families to have supplies ready, know how to safely shelter in place, and plan ahead in case they need to leave their home quickly with their pets.

To help families prepare, the Ontario SPCA offers free emergency preparedness resources, including a downloadable Emergency Preparedness Workbook that will help you build a 72-hour emergency kit and create a plan to care for your animals during an emergency. Visit ontariospca.ca/ep to start planning today.

This week, the Ontario SPCA is also offering free emergency door decals, key tags and wallet cards at local animal centres, while supplies last. Door decals help alert first responders that pets are inside the home, while key tags and wallet cards ensure someone knows there are pets who need care if their person is unable to return home due to injury or illness.

“Emergency situations can be stressful and unpredictable, but having a plan that includes your pets can make those moments a little easier to manage,” says Jennifer Bluhm, Vice President, Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “Simple steps like preparing a 72-hour kit and identifying a safe place to go can make a big difference for your animals.”

To learn more about emergency preparedness for pets and to download free emergency preparedness resources, visit ontariospca.ca/ep

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Emergencies such as extreme weather events can happen at any time and have the potential to cause extended power outages. In the event of an outage, it’s important for customers to be as prepared as possible to help keep themselves and their loved ones safe and comfortable while crews work to address safety issues and restore power.

To help customers stay emergency-ready, Toronto Hydro is reminding customers to:

• Always have a fully stocked 72-hour emergency kit with water and non-perishable food items for all members of your household; first aid items and medications; and basic tools and supplies, such as a flashlight, batteries and a power bank to charge small electronics like cell phones
• Make themselves aware of the online tools available to help stay informed and connected during an extended outage
• Register those who depend on electrically powered medical equipment, such as a ventilator or kidney dialysis machine for Toronto Hydro’s Life Support Notification Program
• Update emergency contact numbers

Extreme weather events can also bring trees and branches down onto powerlines and cause unsafe conditions. While powerlines are one of the most important types of equipment for utilities, they’re also one of the most dangerous. Below are tips on how to stay safe around downed powerlines:

• Stay back at least 10 metres from downed powerlines (the length of a school bus)
• Always assume the wire is live and potentially dangerous
• Report downed wires to Toronto Hydro at 416-542-8000 or call 911

Toronto Hydro is committed to keeping customers safe at home, at work and around the city. For more information, please visit torontohydro.com/safety.

• EP Week is a national awareness initiative aimed at encouraging Canadians to take steps to become better prepared for emergencies
• Toronto Hydro has an EP Guide available in 10 languages, with tips on what to do before, during and after a power outage
• According to a recent survey, more than half of our customers have some form of an emergency kit at home, but only 13 per cent of customers have a fully stocked, 72-hour emergency kit prepared
• Powerline Safety Week is an annual campaign led by the Electrical Safety Authority (ESA) and local distributors like Toronto Hydro to raise awareness about the risks posed by powerlines
• According to the ESA, contact with a powerline is a leading cause of electrical-related deaths in Ontario

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Preparedness goes a long way to help people cope better during and after a minor emergency or a major disaster. It can also help you reduce the impact on your family and property. By following a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a variety of emergencies ranging from natural disasters such as fires and extreme weather, to infrastructure and social crises such as an explosion or civil disorder.

To be prepared anytime, anywhere, it is important to:

1. Know the risks specific to your community and region to help you be ready for different types of emergency situations. You can find information on local municipality’s website to help you further understand the risks in your local area.
2. Make a plan so that you and your family know what to do if an emergency occurs. This should include identifying a safe place for the members of you household to meet, emergency contact information for trusted neighbours and friends, and designating routes to evacuate your home and neighborhood.
3. Prepare an emergency kit with some basic supplies that will get you by without power or tap water for at least 72 hours in an emergency. It can include such items as a flashlight, radio and extra batteries, bottled water, canned and packaged foods that won’t spoil, and prescription medications. Your kit should be easy to carry and be easily accessible and don’t forget to make a kit for your pets.

Information and resources to help you and your family prepare for all types of emergencies, including a full list of items you should have in your emergency kit, is available on the health unit’s website as well as at getprepared.ca.

For more information about emergency preparedness, visit smdhu.org/BePrepared or call Health Connection at 705-721-7520 or 1-877-721-7520 weekdays between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

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Promise to prepare by visiting ontariospca.ca/ep and you will be entered in a draw to win a pet first aid kit, plus you will receive our free digital Emergency Preparedness Workbook outlining everything you need to include when assembling your pet’s survival kit.

The Ontario SPCA is also giving away free emergency decals this week for anyone who has pets at home to let first responders know there are pets inside. In the event of an emergency like a fire, it can help the chances of firefighters being able to rescue your pets. Drop by the Ontario SPCA Muskoka Animal Centre this week to get yours.

“We’re asking everyone who has a furry family member to promise to prepare,” says Jennifer Bluhm, Vice President, Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society. “By having an emergency plan and the necessary emergency supplies to shelter in place, you will be in a better position to help the ones you love, including your pets.”

“The Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (OAFC) is very pleased to join forces with the Ontario SPCA and Humane Society in observing, and raising awareness around Emergency Preparedness Week this May,” says Deputy Chief Rob Grimwood, President, OAFC. “As a non-profit organization committed to fire and life safety and the well-being of our community, we understand the critical need for readiness in the face of potential emergencies and disasters, including those that may impact our furry friends. By working together with the Ontario SPCA, we aim to increase awareness and advocate for preparedness strategies that protect both human and animal lives during emergencies. This partnership is a testament to our shared dedication to safeguarding lives, including those of our beloved pets, and highlights our proactive approach to ensuring, and safeguarding, our community’s well-being.”

For emergency preparedness resources, and to promise to prepare, visit ontariospca.ca/ep  

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During Emergency Preparedness Week, community members are encouraged to take concrete actions to be better prepared to protect themselves and their families for whatever comes their way. By taking a few simple steps, residents can become better prepared to face a range of situations, anytime, anywhere. It is important to:

• Know the risks – Although the consequences of disasters or emergencies can be similar, knowing the risks specific to the community and region can help you better prepare. Muskoka is prone to extreme weather and power outages. It’s important to know how to react to these situations, but to also be prepared for the less likely occurrences as well.
• Make a plan – A plan helps you and your family know what to do what a situation occurs. Create and practice your home escape plan regularly.
• Prepare a 72-hour emergency kit – During an emergency, ensure you have the basic supplies needed to support you and your family. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency.
• Download the Voyent Alert app – Create location-based notifications for members of your family and receive alerts to your home phone, cell phone and/or email when an emergency occurs.

Emergency Preparedness Week is a national awareness initiative that has taken place annually since 1996 and encourages Canadians to take concrete actions to be better prepared to protect themselves and their families during an emergency.

Win a 72-hour emergency kit
Tune into Moose FM on Tuesday, May 7 at 8:30 a.m. to learn about being prepared for every season from Bracebridge Community Emergency Management Coordinator/Deputy Fire Chief, Mike Peake and have the chance to win a 72-hour emergency kit.

Emergency preparedness starts with you. To learn more about being prepared, visit bracebridge.ca/emergencepreparedness.

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If an emergency struck that required you to evacuate or shelter in place, would you be ready? Here are five tips to keep you and your furry family members safe in the event of an emergency:

1. Put together an emergency preparedness kit containing everything you, your family, and your pets will need in the first 72 hours of an emergency, including first aid kits for people and pets. You should check your emergency kit at least twice a year and update it as necessary. Keep your supplies in a watertight container(s).
2. Have an evacuation plan in place that includes your animals. Ask about your municipality’s evacuation centre locations and pet policies relating to evacuation. Contact hotels and motels outside your immediate area and check their policy on accepting pets during an emergency. Ask friends and relatives outside your immediate area if they could shelter your pets during an emergency.
3. Ensure your dog or cat is wearing a collar with an identification tag, ideally with your phone number or the number of a relative outside of your area in case you have evacuated and can’t be reached by phone. It’s also important to have your pet microchipped and to keep that information up to date to help increase the chances of being reunited in an emergency. 
4. Keep a current photo of your pet with you. Make sure it includes their name, address, and a brief description, including any unique markings, in case you need to claim your pet or share information about your lost pet during an emergency.
5. Post an emergency decal on your front door to make first responders aware that there are pets inside the home. If an emergency like a fire happens when you’re not home, this helps improve the chances your pets will be rescued or receive the care they need. To request a free emergency decal, visit ontariospca.ca/ep

“By having the necessary supplies to shelter in place, or a plan to evacuate with your pets, preparing for the unexpected will help ensure you’re able to care for your pets during an emergency,” says Jennifer Bluhm, Vice President, Community Outreach Services, Ontario SPCA and Humane Society.

“No one wants or expects an emergency, but everyone should be prepared just in case,” says OAFC President, Deputy Chief Rob Grimwood. “A simple 72-hour emergency preparedness kit, along with a preplanned emergency escape route for you, your family and pets can save the lives of those you care about most.”

For more emergency planning resources, and to request a free emergency decal, visit ontariospca.ca/ep

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Natural disasters may be beyond our control, but there are ways to reduce the risk and the impact of whatever emergency we might face.

Emergency Preparedness Week encourages Canadians to take concrete actions to be better prepared to protect themselves and their families during emergencies. This special week is a national effort lead by Public Safety Canada, provincial and territorial emergency management organizations, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, and private sector.

Murray Medley, Fire Chief and Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) for the Town of Bracebridge is encouraging residents to take two actions as soon as possible, “We know too well in Bracebridge that we can find ourselves in difficult situations such as flooding or prolonged power outages with little notice. I would like to see every family become better prepared by putting together an emergency kit and signing up for the new Voyent Alert emergency notification app. Checking these actions off of your to-do list will give you peace of mind that your family is ready if the need arises.”

By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere. It is important to:

• Know the risks – Although the consequences of disasters can be similar, knowing the risks specific to our community and our region can help you better prepare;
• Make a plan – It will help you and your family know what to do; and
• Get an emergency kit – During an emergency, we will all need some basic supplies. We may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours in an emergency.

Building an Emergency Kit

In an emergency, you will need some basic supplies. You may need to get by without power or tap water. Be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

You may have some of the items already, such as food, water and a battery-operated or crank flashlight. The key is to make sure they are organized and easy to find. Would you be able to find your flashlight in the dark?

Make sure your kit is easy to carry and everyone in the household knows where it is. Keep it in a backpack, duffle bag or suitcase with wheels, in an easy-to-reach, accessible place, such as your front-hall closet. If you have many people in your household, your emergency kit could get heavy. It’s a good idea to separate some of these supplies in backpacks. That way, your kit will be more portable and each person can personalize his or her own grab-and-go emergency kit.

A Basic Emergency Kit includes the following items:

• Water – at least two litres of water per person per day; include small bottles that can be carried easily in case of an evacuation order;

• Food that won’t spoil, such as canned food, energy bars and dried foods (replace food and water once a year);

• Manual can-opener;

• Crank or battery-powered flashlight (and extra batteries). Replace batteries once a year;

• Crank, battery-powered radio (and extra batteries) or Weather Radio;

• First aid kit;

• Extra keys to your car and house;

• Some cash in smaller bills, such as $10 bills and change for payphones;

• A copy of your emergency plan and contact information; and

• If applicable, other items such as prescription medication, infant formula, equipment for people with disabilities, or food, water and medication for your pets or service animal (personalize according to your needs).

In addition, consider adding the following to your emergency kit:

• Two additional litres of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning;
• Candles and matches or lighter (place candles in deep, sturdy containers and do not burn unattended);
• Change of clothing and footwear for each household member;
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each household member;
• Toiletries;
• Hand sanitizer;
• Utensils;
• Garbage bags;
• Toilet paper;
• Water purifying tablets;
• Basic tools (hammer, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, work gloves, dust mask, pocket knife);
• A whistle (in case you need to attract attention); and
• Duct tape (to tape up windows, doors, air vents, etc.).

If you think your water is contaminated, check with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit – Drinking Water Advisories page for details. When in doubt, do not drink water you suspect may be contaminated.

Keep some cash on hand, as automated bank machines and their networks may not work during an emergency. You may have difficulty using debit or credit cards.

Visit www.getprepard.ca or www.bracebridge.ca/emergencypreparedness for more resources to help you and your family prepare for all types of emergencies.

This week, residents are encouraged to take concrete actions to be better prepared. Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way to help people cope better – both during and after a major disaster. Get an emergency kit now – it can make a world of difference.

Voyent Alert! App

In 2021, the Muskoka Emergency Response Committee (MERC) launched #AlertMuskoka, an important new notification tool powered by the Voyent Alert! System. This free community alerting app makes it easy for residents across Muskoka to quickly receive important information during critical incidents and emergency situations.

By downloading the Voyent Alert! app and registering, residents and visitors can select to receive notifications from a wide variety of communication channels, including mobile apps, text/SMS alerting, email or voice calling. Any event or communication related to your tracked locations will be forwarded to you along your preferred communication channel(s). Smart alerting capabilities ensure that you will only get notified when a communication is relevant to you or one of the locations you are tracking. Registration is completely free, easy to do, and completely anonymous. For more information, please visit: www.muskoka.on.ca/alertmuskoka.

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