This week is Emergency Preparedness Week! This year’s theme is “Be Prepared. Know your Risks”. The intent of the theme is to encourage us all to understand the risks in our area and learn what actions we can take to protect ourselves, our families, and our community.
Emergency Preparedness in Our Community
Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre collaborates with the City of Thunder Bay and a wide variety of community partners, such as Thunder Bay Fire Rescue and the Thunder Bay Police Service, to help inform hospital preparedness and response. The hospital also regularly participates in exercises with external partners. For example, hospital representatives recently participated in a tabletop exercise simulating a wildfire related emergency response led by the City’s Municipal Emergency Control Group.
Across Canada, we face a number of hazards, which can vary from region to region. Knowing the risks can inform how we plan and prepare. Find out about risks in our region by using some of the following resources:
- Hazards monitored by Emergency Management Ontario: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/hzd/rgnl/on-en.aspx
- Current forest fire activity and fire restrictions: https://www.ontario.ca/page/forest-fires
- Current weather alerts via Environment Canada’s WeatherCAN cellphone app and website: https://weather.gc.ca/index_e.html
- Up to date earthquake information via Natural Resources Canada: https://www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/index-en.php
- Historical list of Canadian disasters, including those triggered by natural hazards, technological hazards, or conflict (not including war), including where and when they occurred via the Canadian Disaster Database website: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/cndn-dsstr-dtbs/index-en.aspx
Have a resource you’d like to share? Reach out to Mēsha Richard, Lead, Emergency Preparedness (ext. 6552 or mesha.richard@tbh.net)
