Be Prepared – Local Governments

Be Prepared – Individuals and Families

The Emergency Services Act includes cities, towns, local service districts, and Inuit communities in the definition of “municipalities”. Emergency preparedness starts with the individual, but when residents have utilized all resources during a disaster they will look to their municipality for direction and guidance. Just as individuals need to plan for emergencies so does the local government in which they live.

So how does a community become better prepared to meet the emergency needs of its residents?

KNOW THE RISKS

What are the hazards in the municipality that may have an impact on residents? A Hazard Vulnerability Risk Assessment is recommended to assist municipalities with identifying what hazards can impact their jurisdiction and how they prioritize their planning for those impacts. The Emergency Services Division can assist with this process.

There are many risks that will naturally come to mind such as weather events like blizzards, hurricanes, heavy rainfalls, etc. However, other risks such as total communication failure, power loss for extended periods of time, transportation of dangerous goods and other events should will also be planned for.

Education

Local governments need to educate residents about self-sufficiency and having a personal 72 hour kit ready. Local governments can create and promote educational materials that offer citizens tips and best practices for protecting their individual homes. Partnering with service organizations that also promote personal emergency preparedness will also be beneficial to create awareness. Offering contests and taking part in Emergency Management Week activities are some examples to increase education and encourage co-operation.

Educating staff and council/committee members about self-sufficiency and ensuring their families are prepared will maintain their support during the emergency. Familiarization with the Emergency Management Plan, exercising the plan, and training, are great tools to help build knowledgeable and confident human resources.

MAKE A PLAN

In 2008, the Government of Newfoundland Labrador legislated through the Emergency Services Act, that all municipalities must have an Emergency Management Plan. The Emergency Services Division, has Regional Emergency Management and Planning Officers (REMPOs) located in the regions to assist municipalities in meeting legislated requirements.

The REMPOs can provide a template for municipalities. They are also available to discuss modifications to the template as necessary, and to answer any questions that a municipality has regarding their plan.

Emergency Management Plans need to be continuously reviewed and revised. This is due to a number of reasons such as municipal council/committee members changing, new resources available in the community, contact information changing, new risks etc. It is important that all staff and council/committee members are familiar with the plan and where it is located.

Emergency Management Plans establish formal relationships. Municipalities may wish to consider regional Emergency Management Plans recognizing what happens in one jurisdiction may impact neighbouring areas. Memorandums of Understanding are a great way to establish these formal relationships, however, informal relationships are also important and are often maintained through casual contact.

Communication

Municipalities will need to consider how they will communicate with their staff and residents should a communication loss occur.
What sources will be used to get the message to the residents?
Will a notification alert system be used?
What social media platforms are utilized by the residents?
How will communication occur with people of special needs such as hearing and visually impaired?

Other things to be considered when developing messages for the public:

Will the message be clear and concise?
Who will create this message?
Who will deliver the message?

KNOW WHAT TO DO

There are various types of exercises that municipalities can do to validate their plan. It is recommended to start with discussion based exercises which include seminars, workshops, tabletop exercises, and games. These are valuable tools for familiarizing personnel and councils/committees with their response to the disaster and the responsibilities they would have during this time.

Operation-based exercises represent the next level of the exercise cycle. They are used to validate the plans, policies, agreements, and procedures outlined in the discussion-based exercises. Operation-based exercises include drills, functional exercises, and full-scale exercises. They can clarify roles and responsibilities, identify gaps in resources needed to implement plans and procedures, and improve individual and team performance. These involve deploying resources to respond to a mock disaster that is not in real time.

The Emergency Services Division will work with municipalities who request assistance with exercising their plan. The Division will discuss what the municipality would like to “test” and develop an exercise that will meet the desired objectives of the exercise.

Training

The Emergency Services Division provides Emergency Management courses that will help municipalities become familiar with the four components of Emergency Management: Mitigation, Preparedness, Response and Recovery. It is recommended that staff and council/committees take part in the training. It is also recommended that people take these courses as a refresher if they have completed them before.

Available Emergency Management Training Courses include:

Basic Emergency Management (BEM)
Emergency Operations Center Management (EOCM) (Prerequisite: Basic Emergency Management)
Exercise Program Management
Incident Command System (ICS) 100, 200, 300

Municipalities can contact the Emergency Services Division to inquire about an upcoming schedule of courses or what can be offered in their area.