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Flood Update - April 8, 2011 6:06 p.m.
The flood gates in Lockport will be opened at 9:00 a.m. tomorrow morning.
Flood Update - April 8, 2011 12:57 p.m.
The water levels near the City of Winnipeg have dropped approximately two feet and in consideration of the Municipalities located North of Winnipeg, the floodway gates will remain closed as long as possible. The Province will be monitoring the levels.
At Home and At Work
Individuals, Families and Work Places are important to the RM in the emergency management process since most emergencies will have an effect at the individual level first. There are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent, prepare and respond to an emergency in order to limit the seriousness of the effects an emergency can have in your daily lives.
Prepare for Disaster
Prepare for Disaster
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We all have a responsibility to prepare for emergencies. At home, this requires an understanding of everyone's unique needs, supplies to take care of yourself for a period of at least 72 hours, that's 3 days, while emergency workers help those in urgent need. Also required are detailed plans on what you will do if there is an emergency. At work, your emergency planning should include procedures to deal with a disruption, and an understanding of how specific hazards would impact your business.
What are the risks
Manitoba's unique geography and varied climates results in a wide range of potential hazards. Know your area and learn how you can prepare for all types of emergencies. The best offense is a strong defence. Prepare various emergency plans so you and your family are ready for anything.
Prepare at home
Emergency preparedness is initially a personal responsibility. While governments have resources available to assist as an emergency escalates, individuals are expected to have made plans and take steps to secure the safety of themselves, their families, and any other responsibilities. Its often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that's certainly the case for emergency preparedness - a little bit of effort is worth a lot of peace-of-mind, and will be an invaluable resource if you are impacted by a disaster. Some basic measures to prepare your home for an emergency include keeping a supply of food, water and medication to last for at least a 72 hour period, along with some basic necessities like a radio, flashlight, and toiletries. The following brochures describe how to prepare your home for an emergency and how to make an emergency kit.
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Prepare at work
Every business and organization can experience a serious incident which can prevent it from continuing normal operations. This can happen any day at any time. At work, your emergency preparedness should include the development of a Business Continuity Planning (BCP) program to identify your essential services, when they need to be delivered, and how your employees will respond when there is a disruption. Business Continuity Planning is a component of emergency planning that is intended to minimize the impacts of a disruption on business activities.
BCP is designed to help an organization continue providing its basic and most critical functions during a disruption. This requires an understanding of your obligations to those who depend on your services, the exposure to risk your organization is willing to tolerate, and the requirements (such as equipment, data, personnel and facilities) required to deliver the required services. From this, a plan is prepared to identify the tasks, procedures and organization required to work through a disruption. Whatever the size of your organization or the nature of your business, an investment in BCP will improve your ability to minimize losses, meet obligations, and build confidence from the people who depend on your services.
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Prepare for specific emergencies
Floods
In the last half-century, the two most severe emergencies in Manitoba were floods. The Red River floods in 1950 and 1997 resulted in extensive property damage, evacuations, and emergency operations to protect people and communities. Overland flooding is a regular annual occurrence in most of our province, and has resulted in a significant investment in mitigation and planning.
If you live in a flood-prone area, the best way to minimize damage is to mitigate the risk. Remembering that you have primary responsibility for emergency preparedness, consider what you can do to reduce damages and protect your home and property. You should also be making plans to evacuate your home and family if a severe flood develops. While municipal and provincial assistance will be available in such cases, planning ahead is valuable and necessary.
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Severe Storms
Severe weather can develop in any season, and has the potential to close roads and facilities, damage our utilities, and severely damage property. Manitoba has a long record of severe weather, including blizzards, tornadoes, heavy rain, windstorms, hail, and thunderstorms. They can occur at any time, and present a serious threat to life and property.
The best way to prepare for a severe weather event is to make a commitment to emergency preparedness in your home. It is also a good idea to consider the severe weather hazards that might arise with seasonal changes, and to take simple steps around your home to minimize the risk of damage. Monitoring weather conditions and forecasts will give you a chance to prepare for a severe weather emergency before it happens.
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Tornadoes
Environment Canada reports that Manitoba gets 7-10 tornadoes every year. While tornadoes damage a relatively small area, they present an extremely dangerous threat with strong winds and flying debris.
It's important to make plans ahead of time on where you will shelter in your home, and what basic steps you should take to protect your home and family from harm if there is a tornado threat.
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Winter Power Failures
The failure of any utility would result in severe disruptions. While there have been investments to protect these systems and extensive planning to manage the emergency if there was a failure, we've had many examples - such as the Quebec ice storm - of the widespread impact of a utility failure. A power failure in winter is a serious concern in Manitoba, where we regularly experience extended and extreme periods of cold weather.
It's important to make plans ahead of time on where you will shelter in your home, and what basic steps you should take to protect your home and family from harm if there is a tornado threat.
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Wilderness Travel
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Prepared for the Woods
(Brochure PDF 2.7MB - Public Safety Canada)
Basic precautions that can help protect you on trips into the wilderness |
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Forest Fires
Forest fire season in Manitoba is April 1 to Oct over 15, making spring and summer the most conducive times for forest fires. People living in close proximity to forested areas or using such area for recreational purposes need to know how to protect themselves in the event of a forest fire.
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Bomb Threats
Bomb threats require immediate action. You should already have a fire evacuation plan for your home and work - this is a good starting point in developing procedures to deal with a bomb threat.
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Chemical Releases
Chemical releases and hazardous materials incidents can vary greatly, and may require a wide range of actions if an accidental release occurs. In addition to developing a good level of general preparedness, it's also important to understand some of the potentially hazardous substances near your home or office, and what actions might be required to protect yourself.
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Pandemics
While all public health emergencies are cause for concern, there has been a particular focus on the threat of a pandemic influenza in recent years. In addition to leading a range of pandemic planning activities, the Government of Manitoba has developed a number of tools to provide the best possible forecast of what a pandemic influenza will be like, and to guide individuals, schools, and businesses as they prepare.
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Suspicious Packages
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Recover from Disaster
Recover from Disaster
Recovering from a disaster is usually a gradual process. Safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. If assistance is available, knowing how to access it makes the process faster and less stressful. This section offers some general advice on steps to take after disaster strikes in order to begin getting your home and your life back to normal.
Re-entry
After a flood or other natural disaster, going back into your home can be dangerous because of structural, electrical or other hazards. Before returning home be sure that permission have been given by authorities and that the building is safe.
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Winter Power Failures
What to do, and what not
to do, during and after a
power failure Brochure PDF 1.2MB |
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Clean Up
Disasters make a mess and one of the first jobs is to clean up. Safety should always be the very first consideration.
Houses that have been flooded or damaged by water need special attention to avoid mold growth. Proper cleaning techniques are essential to your safety while cleaning mold, and to ensure contaminants are properly removed and will not create a hazardous environment in your home.
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The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation provides information on safe and effective clean-up after a flood:
Water Damage, Mold and House Insurance
After the Flood
Fighting Mold The Homeowners' Guide
Cleaning Mold Video
Rebuilding
Repairs after a disaster should be treated like any other home renovations; you need to do some research, ensure safe practices are being followed, and check the quality of the work and compliance with codes and standards.
The Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation provides information on best practices for construction and renovation, and other considerations when rebuilding after a disaster:
Hiring a Contractor
Other useful links:
Manitoba Consumer and Corporate Affairs - Consumer's Bureau
Manitoba Home Builders' Association
Winnipeg Construction Association
CMHC - Renovation a Home
CMHC - Renovation for Energy Savings
FEMA- Rebuild Smarter and Stronger
Business Disaster Recovery
The goal of recovery and restoration operations is to, recover the facility or operation and maintain critical service or product delivery. Recovery and restoration includes:
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re-deploying personnel;
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deciding whether to repair the facility, relocate to an alternate site or build a new facility;
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acquiring the additional resources necessary for restoring business operations;
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re-establishing normal operations; and
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resuming operations at pre-disruption levels.
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Other
Links
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Government of Canada
Public Safety Canada (PSC)
Canada Centre for Remote Sensing - Natural Hazards (Natural Resources Canada
CANUTEC (Transport Canada)
Emergency Telecommunications Branch (Industry Canada)
Environmental Emergencies (Environment Canada)
Weather Office (Environment Canada)
Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response (Health Canada)
Canadian Centre for Occupational Health & Safety
Government of Manitoba
Red River Valley Flood Protection
Emergency Medical Services (Manitoba Health)
Road Information (Manitoba Transportation & Government Services)
Water Stewardship
Fire Program (Manitoba Conservation)
Flood Monitoring System (Land Information Division - Manitoba Remote Sensing Centre)
Flood Information
City of Winnipeg
EmergWeb
Emergency Preparedness Program
Emergency Preparedness Guide (PDF, 126kb)
Protecting Your Home from Basement Flooding
Flood of the Century
Canada
Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness (CCEP)
Disaster Recovery Information Exchange
Canadian Red Cross
Disaster Recovery Institute Canada
Association of Public Safety Communications Officials Canada
Insurance Bureau of Canada
Province
Manitoba - Emergency Measures Organization (EMO)
USA
FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency
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Emergency Measures
