What is Emergency Management?
Emergency Management is a community-wide effort to managing public safety during large scale emergencies and disasters. The Town of Stonewall Municipal Emergency Coordinator Dennis Peterson is in charge of Emergency Management planning, volunteers, and resources.
This is done through an organized and structured effort to address:
Mitigation – managing or removing the things that create a hazard
Preparedness – being ready for an emergency when it happens
Response – working to protect life, property and the environment when an emergency occurs
Recovery – repairing the damage, learning from what happened, and making improvements
Emergency Management involves everyone in Stonewall – citizens, families, first responders, municipal government, community groups, the provincial government, and community organizations. Everyone has a role to play before, during, and after an emergency.
If a major emergency occurs in Stonewall, it will involve a team effort to ensure the most critical needs are met. Our Emergency Management Plan is based on a team approach. Our approach is to bring community partners together so we make use of all available resources, and make decisions that respond to the most important priorities.
For more information on The Town of Stonewall’s Emergency Management Plan, please contact Dennis Peterson, Municipal Emergency Coordinator, at emo@stonewall.ca.
How can I be ready?
During the initial hours of any major emergency, the Town of Stonewall’s resources will be focused on re-establishing critical services and in providing care to those in urgent need. If your household has the supplies on hand to take care of yourself for 72 hours, we will be able to respond to those urgent needs. It will also give you the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re ready. Creating a basic kit may be as easy as putting together items you already have such as food, water and blankets. Your kit should be in a container that is durable and easy to carry such as a duffel bag or suitcase with wheels. Keep your kit in an easily accessible location and tell all members of your household where the kit is located.
Click on the link to watch this video on Preparing a Family 72 Hour Emergency Kit
Develop an emergency plan for you and your family:
- Discuss and plan what each person will do in various situations.
- Pick two meeting places:
- One meeting place should be near your home or business in case of a local sudden emergency, like a fire.
- A second meeting place should be chosen so that people will meet if they cannot return to your home or business.
- Make sure everyone knows the addresses and phone numbers of your meeting places.
- Arrange for a Family Contact that lives outside of Stonewall. Family members can phone the contact and leave information about where they are. This will help to keep everyone aware of the situation.
- Have your Emergency Kit prepared and store it in a convenient place known to all family members.
Record this information and keep it in a safe place available to everyone.
Emergency Preparedness Plans & Supplies
In an emergency, time to react is often short. The following checklists will help you assess what is needed by you and your family, and to have those things organized and ready if needed.
More Resources to Prepare for Specific Types of Emergencies
How can I find out what’s going on during an Emergency?
The Town of Stonewall’s Emergency Management Plan includes plans for public information. Residents will be informed about emergency conditions through CodeRED, this website, Facebook, direct delivery of messages, or through local media. Some of these lines of communication may not be possible if there is a loss of electrical power. Please consider adding a battery powered radio into your 72 hour kit so you can learn what’s happening during a power outage.
How can I help?
Anyone wanting to volunteer in an emergency can contact Dennis Peterson, Municipal Emergency Coordinator, at emo@stonewall.ca.
Volunteers will be trained to assist their communities during emergencies in many ways, including:
- Providing essential services at a reception center during an emergency or disaster. Assisting in radio communication.
- Providing emotional support to people in need following a disaster.
- Identifying potential food, clothing, lodging, pet care, resources, etc.
- Assisting with preparedness or response activities such as sandbagging.