KAWARTHA LAKES-On Wednesday staff and emergency responders from police, fire and paramedic services from the municipality and the Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge District Health Unit participated in a training session led by Emergency Management and Training Inc. The full day session followed the process of Ontario’s Incident Management System (IMS) and was part of annual compliance to ensure that key staff are prepared for significant incidents or emergencies involving public health and safety according to the City.
During the training, the group participated in a mock emergency exercise that portrayed a major winter storm involving widespread and prolonged power outages, accidents and road closures. The group worked together to execute emergency protocols and actions needed to ensure that lives, property and the environment all remained protected throughout the escalating event.
“This exercise was an excellent opportunity for all responding parties to get together to work through Kawartha Lakes Emergency Response Plan,” said Mark Pankhurst, Kawartha Lakes’ Fire Chief. “It gave us the chance to practice executing emergency plans and thinking on our feet together as a team. We were able to test the plan and identify any adjustments needed to ensure we maintained a safe environment under difficult circumstances beyond our control.”
Individuals can also do their best to prepare for an emergency. Your emergency survival kit should have everything you and your family would need to be safe and take care of yourselves for at least three days immediately following an emergency.
The following list is broken down into the essentials, items you may need to meet your family’s unique needs, and items to have ready in case you have to leave your home.
Essentials
- food (non-perishable and easy-to-prepare items, enough for 3 days) and a manual can opener
- bottled water (4 litres per person for each day)
- medication(s)
- flashlight
- radio (crank or battery-run)
- extra batteries
- first-aid kit
- candles and matches/lighter
- hand sanitizer or moist towelettes
- important papers (identification, contact lists, copies of prescriptions, etc.)
- extra car keys and cash
- whistle (to attract attention, if needed)
- zip-lock bag (to keep things dry)
- garbage bags
Special Considerations
- items for babies and small children–diapers, formula, bottles, baby food, comfort items
- prescription medication
- medical supplies and equipment
- pet food and supplies
- any other items specific to your family’s needs
Extra Supplies For Evacuation
- clothes, shoes
- sleeping bags or blankets
- personal items (soap, toothpaste, shampoo, comb, other toiletries)
- playing cards, travel games, other activities for children
