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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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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The Ontario government is investing $5 million to ensure communities across the province have the resources and equipment they need to prepare for natural disasters and emergencies. The government is now accepting applications for the new Community Emergency Preparedness Grant to help communities and organizations purchase critical supplies, equipment and deliver training and services to improve local emergency preparation and response.

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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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The Town of Huntsville’s public safety officials are constantly monitoring and preparing for emergencies that may happen in our community. Right now, our Emergency Management Group has been monitoring the spring freshet conditions as we typically see some sort of high-water event in late March or early April. With the help of our partners at Environment Canada & Climate Change and the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines, Natural Resources and Forestry, we have been monitoring and preparing for any conditions that could lead to potential flooding or high-water events.

Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility for members of the community as well as the emergency workers who assist. Experience has shown that individual preparedness goes a long way to help people cope better during and after a major disaster. By taking a few simple steps, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies – anytime, anywhere.

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.

Build a 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.

Be Informed – We encourage residents and visitors to follow our social media feeds and sign up for the #AlertMuskoka app. For information on emergency alerts see #AlertMuskoka and Alert Ready (Ontario).

Please visit the Emergency Management Ontario – Be Prepared website for more information on being prepared.

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