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Sample Presentation

Emergency Preparedness EducationEmergency Preparedness Education

Adapted from the Basic Emergency Management (BEM) course, Emergency Management Ontario (2004)

Note: This presentation was designed for provincial ministries and municipalities. Content needs to be adapted to use with board of health staff.

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MitigationPreparedness

ResponseRecovery

Components of Emergency ManagementComponents of Emergency Management

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• Define preparedness

• Understand the main elements of preparedness

• Learn about and discuss preparedness programs and strategies at the community, provincial and federal levels

• Participate in a preparedness activity

Lesson ObjectivesLesson Objectives

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“Actions taken prior to an emergency or disaster to ensure an effective response”

Emergency Management Ontario Glossary of Terms

PreparednessPreparedness

EMERG

ENCY

PLANS

EMERG

ENCY

OPERATIO

NS CEN

TRE

TRAININ

G

EXERCISES

EMERG

ENCY

INFO

RMATIO

N

PUBLIC AW

ARENESS

& PU

BLIC EDU

CATION

THE FOUNDATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS HIRA

Pillars of PreparednessPillars of Preparedness

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Preparedness Not preparedness

Police liaison officers raising awareness about safety with

schoolchildren

Sending police cruisers to an accident site

Compensating victims of a shipping accident

Planning how to respond to a terrorism incident

Conducting a tabletop exercise

Zoning vulnerable areas as non-residential

Preparedness or Not PreparednessPreparedness or Not Preparedness

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• Communities: By-laws are required for establishing and approving Emergency

Response Plan

• Ministries: Ministry Emergency Response Plans must be approved by the Minister

Emergency PlansEmergency Plans

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All-Hazards Hazard-specific

A generic emergency plan that describes activities and

arrangements to deal with any emergency situation in the

community

Emergency plans are developed based on identified hazards and

risk assessments

In Ontario, emergency planning for communities is based on the specific hazards and risk assessment carried out through HIRA

Emergency PlansEmergency Plans

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• Plans are living documents

• Planning should be a team effort

• Planning is an ongoing process, not just writing the plans to be put on a shelf

Emergency Management Program PlansEmergency Management Program Plans

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Mitigation plans Emergency response plans Recovery plans Public Awareness/Public Education plans Continuity of operations/Business continuity plans

Emergency information Hazard-specific plans

Evacuation plans Telecommunications plans

• Some key plans are:

• Other supporting plans may be:

Various Types of Plans for an Emergency Management ProgramVarious Types of Plans for an Emergency Management Program

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• Continuity of Operations/Business Continuity Program is an ongoing process supported by senior management

• Purpose is to ensure that necessary steps are taken to:

Identify the impact of potential losses Maintain viable recovery strategies and recovery plans Ensure continuity of services through:

Staff training Plan testing Maintenance

Business Continuity PlanningBusiness Continuity Planning

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• Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) is a facility where the Community Control Group or a Ministry Action Group assembles to manage an emergency

• EOC is a requirement under the Emergency Management Act

• Communities/Ministries should have a primary and an alternate location for the EOC

Emergency Operations CentreEmergency Operations Centre

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Community-based Training• Communities/Ministries are required to provide annual emergency

management training to their staff• Training is an important element of building emergency response

capability• If an actual emergency happens, people should know what they are

supposed to do and whom they will be working with as a group• Basic Emergency Management course is an example of a course that is

delivered by communities• EMO’s new video for CCG training is now available

3TrainingTraining

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• What is an exercise?

• A focused practice activity that places participants in a simulated situation requiring them to function in the capacity that would be expected of them in a real event

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• Communities/Ministries are required to conduct annual exercises

• Communities/Ministries should develop an exercise program

ExercisesExercises

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• Should be based on the hazards and risks identified through HIRA

• Can be designed to: test equipment, evaluate plans, or facilitate training

• Ensure that a plan’s elements are realistic and effective

• Ensure that the plan remains a living document and is supported by the annual exercising, reporting and plan revision

• Create interest, especially with the media

Remember that we exercise the plan, not the people

ExercisesExercises

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• Exercise programs involve long-term planning• Consider the need for involvement from many groups:

Police/fire/EMS Media Industry

Upper/lower tier municipalities Provincial/federal agencies Conservation authorities

• Progress from simple to more complex exercises

Developing an Exercise ProgramDeveloping an Exercise Program

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• Advance notice is needed so that the exercise is not confused with a real event

• Each telephone call or message should start and end with “This is an exercise”

• All documents produced or distributed should have “This is an exercise” printed clearly on them

• “No duff” is used when information pertaining to a REAL emergency must be communicated during an exercise

• Physical safety of participants is critical

• Safety needs depend on the type of exercise

Exercise SafetyExercise Safety

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• Hold a hotwash de-briefing (evaluation):• What went well?• What have we learned?• What will we do next time to improve?

• Write a report shortly after the exercise

• Make the report and de-briefing a positive experience for participants

• Use the exercise to update your emergency management program (e.g., plans, procedures, resource deployment)

After Any ExerciseAfter Any Exercise

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• Emergency Information is the communication of information to the public in order to protect their health, safety, welfare and property

• Emergency Information is a required part of an emergency response plan • Emergency Information:

Is usually directed to the media for the public Contributes to a well managed emergency May be delivered as advisories, bulletins or warnings

Emergency InformationEmergency Information

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• Provides information about emergency management, to suggest ways to reduce the risk of loss of life and property damage in the event of an emergency

• Enhances public willingness to follow instructions from authorities during an emergency

• Provides opportunities for public consultation during the planning process

• Secures public participation in exercises

6Public Awareness and Public EducationPublic Awareness and Public Education

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• Provides generic information to the broader public to raise awareness• Not targeted to a specific audience• For example, you might ask people to be aware of whether they live in

“Tornado Alley”

Public AwarenessPublic Awareness

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• For example, you might ask people who do live in “Tornado Alley”: Do you know what to do before, during and after the impact of a

tornado in your community?

• Provides focused information to a target audience to educate about protective actions to reduce the risk of life and property damage, in the event of an emergency

Public EducationPublic Education

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Emergency Survival Checklist

Flashlight and batteries

Radio, batteries/crank radio

Spare batteries

First-aid kit

Candles and matches/lighter

Extra car keys and cash

Important papers

Food and bottled water

Clothing and footwear

Blankets or sleeping bags

Toilet paper and other personal items

Medication

Backpack/duffel bag

Whistle

Playing cards, games

Public AwarenessPublic Awareness

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EMERG

ENCY

PLANS

EMERG

ENCY

OPERATIO

NS CEN

TRE

TRAININ

G

EXERCISES

EMERG

ENCY

INFO

RMATIO

N

PUBLIC AW

ARENESS

& PU

BLIC EDU

CATION

THE FOUNDATION OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT IS HIRA

Pillars of PreparednessPillars of Preparedness

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• Preparedness is actions taken prior to an emergency or disaster to ensure an effective response

• Preparedness includes emergency plans, maintaining an Emergency Operations Centre, training, exercises, emergency information, public awareness and public education

• HIRA should be the foundation of the preparedness component of an emergency management program

Lesson SummaryLesson Summary

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QUESTIONS?

PreparednessPreparedness