Floods, Tornadoes, Chemical Spills – Are You Prepared?

FRIDAY

We wrap up our Emergency Preparedness Week series of reports with a look at a behind-the-scenes player in an emergency. The Barrie Fire Service and City of Barrie have a partnership with local amateur radio operators to help with communications in the event phone service and systems fail or have been compromised…

Jason Tremblay of the Barrie Amateur Radio Club says there’s a core group of about eight HAM radio operators, but they can draw on the support of as many as 350 if the situation warrants.
More on the role of HAM radio operators and how you can get involved in our interview below with Tremblay and Barrie Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Weber…

THURSDAY

We continue our emergency preparedness week coverage asking the question, What are you going to do when a Tornado WARNING is issued? The best place to be, says Simcoe County’s Manager of 911 and Emergency Services Cathy Clark, is in the basement. If you don’t have one, an interior room on the main floor away from windows. If you’re outside, lay down in a ditch on the lowest point of ground you can find, away from hydro wires…

Under a bridge is not an option, there’s too much potential for flying debris to be sucked under and striking you.

As for thunderstorms, Clark says the best place to be is indoors. If you’re outdoors…

Clark adds it’s best to stay under cover 30 minutes after you hear the last clap of thunder – that’s how long electrical activity might still be in the air.

More tornado and thunderstorm DOs and DON’Ts below:

WEDNESDAY

We know municipal officials are in sprint position in the event of an emergency. Are you? Simcoe County’s Manager of 911 and Emergency Services, Cathy Clark, says families really need to think about how they can help themselves through an emergency..for three days..72 hours. An emeregency kit, put together ahead of time, is a must. In it, there should be water – four litres per day per person is the standard – non-perishable food items, prescriptions, some cash, a hand-crank radio so you get the information you need to know…

And consider this, a computer memory stick, with banking, insurance information and vital phone numbers on it.

Businesses need to be prepared, too says Barrie’s Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Weber…

When businesses don’t recover, it becomes more difficult for the community to recover.

More on personal and business considerations prior to an emergency, below…

Click here for a personal preparedness checklist

Click here for a business preparedness checklist

TUESDAY

We continue with our Emergency Preparedness Week series of reports learning it is not good enough for emergency managers in Simcoe County to only be ready to act when disaster strikes. The County’s Manager of 911 and Emergency Services Cathy Clark says part of the job is also anticipating emergencies…

Clark says being in this enhanced state of vigilance is routine for her and for Barrie’s Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Weber, who notes while the actual emergency is often short-lived, the aftermath can be long and onerous. As a result, he says more focus is being put on compassion and the needs of people in the after the fact…

But it can be a long process, taking months, even years in the case of major damage.

More on what takes place before and after an emergency event, below…

MONDAY

Some county residents had to deal with flooding at the weekend, there was a major house fire in Bradford, tornado season is upon us.

Will you be ready if there’s an emergency?

It is Emergency Preparedness Week, and as we do every year, we’ll pass along advice – daily – from the people enlisted to help keep us safe. And we’ll tell you how they prepare for an emergency. Simcoe County’s Manager of 911 and Emergency Services says there’s more going on than meets the eye…

Barrie’s Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Weber says planning for an emergency never ends…

Clark believes people are more aware they need to be prepared – that’s half the battle – but adds more work needs to be done. Our Emergency Preparedness Week coverage continues tomorrow.

More with Cathy Clark and Jeff Weber on how emergency service partners work together to ensure everyone’s safety…