Community Planning Information

As part of their emergency management programs, municipalities are required to perform community assessments, known as Hazardous Identification Risk Assessments (HIRA).  Based on the results of the HIRA, municipalities may develop hazard specific response plans to provide additional response capabilities/capacities and responsibilities to handle the hazard/risk. 

These plans may include additional information relating to prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and specific information for required emergency management program elements such as training, exercises and public education.

In Perth County, we are fortunate to live in a relatively safe region of Canada. However, that does not mean that we are immune to the possibility of a large-scale emergency.  A hazard identification and risk assessment study conducted by the County of Perth has identified the following potential hazards in our region:

Emergency Communications Plan

• During an emergency, network damage or a jammed system may make it difficult to call someone locally. It may be easier to reach someone using either:

  • text messaging
  • social media
  • a long-distance call
• Discuss with your family which way(s) you will try to get in touch with each other should you be separated. Identify one or two out-of-town contacts you and your family can call or text message to connect through and share information. Be sure they live far enough away so they will likely not be affected by the same emergency.

• Record your main emergency contacts is a contact in your mobile device, post the information somewhere that is easily accessible and visible for your household members to get to and ensure a copy is kept in your emergency preparedness kit.

• Make sure your family, as well as your key contacts, knows how to use text messaging apps. During emergencies, these messages may often get through even when phone calls may not. Always keep your communication devices fully charged.

Emergency numbers

• Keep a list of emergency numbers at the ready and make sure all members of your household know where they are. Teach children when and how to dial 9-1-1 and other key numbers they may need to call. Here are some numbers you should consider having on this list:

  • 9-1-1 (where available)
  • Police
  • Fire
  • family doctor
  • Telehealth
  • poison control
  • relatives & friends who can lend support in a crisis
  • insurance contact
  • utility companies
  • Veterinarians
  • Wireless phone providers
  • Home internet provider
  • Home monitoring company

Evacuation plan

Plan your home escape

• If a fire, or emergency requiring an evacuation occurred in your home tonight, would your family be able to get out safely? It is important that everyone know what to do and where to go when the smoke alarm sounds. Take a few minutes to make a home fire escape plan, by following these steps.

  • Draw a floor plan of your home: Draw a plan for each level of your home.

  • Include all possible emergency exits: Draw in all doors, windows and stairways. This will show you and your family all possible escape routes at a glance. Include any features, such as the roof of a garage or porch, that would help in your escape.

  • Show two ways out of every room, if possible: The door will be the main exit from each room. However, if the door is blocked by smoke or fire, choose an alternate escape route, which could be a window. Make sure that all windows can open easily and that everyone knows how to escape through them to safety. If windows have security bars, make sure they have a quick release.

  • Identify anyone who needs help to escape: Decide in advance who will help the very young, older adults or people with disabilities in your household. A few minutes of planning will save valuable seconds in a real emergency.

  • Choose a meeting place outside: Choose a meeting place a safe distance from your home that everyone will remember, for example:

    • a tree

    • a street light

    • a neighbour's home
• Call the fire department from outside your home, once you have safely escaped, call the fire department from a cell phone or neighbour’s home.

• Practice your escape

• Review the plan with everyone in your household. Walk through the escape routes for each room with the entire family. Use this walk-through exercise to check your escape routes, making sure all exits are practical and easy to use. Hold a fire drill twice a year and time how long it takes. In a real fire, you must react without hesitation as your escape routes may be quickly blocked by smoke or flames.

Fire safety

• Follow general household safety rules for smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and fire extinguishers. More information on how many to have, where to place them, and how often to check and replace them can be obtained from your local fire department. 

• Review household fire and other safety measures and record them.

• See the Ontario Fire Marshall’s website for additional information on fire safety within the home.

Utility shut-off procedure

• Every adult in your household, and older children, should know how to turn off main utilities—water, electricity, gas. In certain emergencies, authorities will ask that these be turned off for safety reasons. Write out instructions, if needed, and post somewhere visible.

Important documents

• Make copies of important documents—insurance, main identification documents like a driver’s license, passport, birth and marriage certificates, and wills. Keep these with your plan in a safe place. Consider sharing copies with out-of-town relatives or friends, or keep a set in a safety deposit box.

• Create a packet of important documents.

Planning for Persons with medical needs or disabilities

• If you or anyone in your household has medical conditions or disabilities, be sure your plan reflects this information. For instance, for someone with medical needs or conditions, you may want to include in your plan a medical history, copies of prescriptions and contact information for key health-care providers. Your emergency kit should also contain extra medications and supplies. You may not have access to conveniences, such as pharmacies, immediately after an emergency has occurred. It is also a good idea to teach others about any medical needs, such as how to use medical equipment or administer medicine.

• To learn more about emergency planning for disabilities, consult the Province of Ontario’s guide for people with disabilities.

IT’S UP TO YOU FOR 72-HOURS

• Residents have a key role to play in responding to emergencies. Make plans to be able to take care of yourself and members of your household for up to 72-hours.

• Being prepared ahead of time will help you and your family cope with an emergency more effectively and enable you to make a faster recovery.

• Emergencies can be particularly stressful for children, seniors and individuals with disabilities or special needs. They may feel especially vulnerable if they rely on caregivers for assistance, but are separated from them when the incident occurs. If your household includes a person who requires extra help or has special needs, be sure to include provisions for them in your plan.

Your emergency survival kit should have everything you and your household would need to be safe and take care of yourselves for at least three days immediately following an emergency.

The following list is broken down into the essentials, items you may need to meet your household’s unique needs, and items to have ready in case you have to leave your home.

• 72-Hour Personal/Family Emergency Kit
• Vehicle Emergency Kit
• Pet Emergency Kit

72-Hour Personal/Family Emergency Kit

• Essentials

  • Water – 4 litres per person per day

  • Non-perishable food

  • Manual can opener

  • First aid kit

  • Prescription medications

  • Flashlight and batteries

  • Cell phone chargers, spare cords

  • Portable Charge Power banks

  • Radio and batteries or crank radio

  • Candles and matches or a lighter

  • Warm clothing and footwear

  • Blanket or sleeping bag for each person

  • Toilet paper, feminine hygiene products and other personal care supplies

  • Plastic garbage bags

  • Toiletries such as soaps, shampoos, etc.

  • Toothbrushes & toothpaste Whistle to attract attention

  • Spare batteries for flashlights and radio

  • Spare house and car keys

  • Money - include small bills and change.

  • A copy of your emergency plan Emergency contact information

  • Copies of important documents

  • Recent photos of each family member

  • Playing cards, games or small toys

  • Infant supplies and diapers if needed

Special considerations

• Items for babies and small children—diapers, formula, bottles, baby food, comfort items

• Prescription medication

• Medical supplies and equipment

• Pet food and supplies

• Any other items specific to your household’s needs

Tips

• Pack the contents of your kit in an easy-to-carry bag(s) or a case on wheels.

• Store your kit in a place that is easy to reach and ensure that everyone in your household knows where it is.

• Your kit does not have to be built overnight. Spread your shopping over a few weeks. Purchase a few items every time you go to the store.

• Your water supply is meant to cover what you would drink as well as what you might need for food preparation, hygiene and dishwashing.

• Check and refresh your kit twice a year—when the clocks shift to/from daylight savings time is a good time. Check all expiry dates and replace food and water with a fresh supply. Check batteries and replace as needed.

• Keep your cell phone or mobile device fully charged.

• Keep and have at the ready (fully charged) portable charging devices.

• Have additional charge cords for cell phones, mobile devices, laptops, tablets, etc. as necessary.

Click here for your emergency kit checklist

Vehicle Emergency Kit

• Water

• Emergency food supply (e.g. energy bars)

• Blanket

• Extra pieces of warm clothing including a hat, mitts, scarf, and boots

• Survival candle in a deep can and matches/ lighter

• Seat belt cutter and window breaker tool (keep these 2 items where they can be easily reached from the driver’s seat)

• Sand, salt, cat litter or traction mats for ice

• Extra anti-freeze and windshield wiper fluid

• First aid kit

• Flashlight

• Snowbrush & ice scraper Shovel

• Emergency contact numbers (relatives, work, roadside assistance)

• Booster cables

• Fire extinguisher (class ABC)

• Emergency flares

• Whistle

• Spare fuel container Road maps

Click here for the your emergency car kit checklist

Pet Emergency Kit

• Food, water, bowls, paper towel, can opener
• Blanket and a small toy Leash
• Cat litter (if required) and plastic bags
• Pet carrier for transportation
• Current photo of your pet in case your pet gets lost
• Up-to-date ID tag with your contact number
• Copy of pet license
• Muzzle (if required)
• Medications and records (including vaccinations)
• Record details of feeding schedules, medical or behavioral problems in case you must board your pets

Click here for your pet emergency kit checklist

During an emergency, you should stay tuned to local news channels. Be sure to have a portable, battery-operated or crank radio in your survival kit in case of power outages.

• Perth County on Social Media
• Perth County Roads
• Alert Ready
• Weather
• Municipal 511 / Ontario 511
• Ontario Hazards
• Emergency Management Ontario
• Government of Canada Resources

Perth County on social media

Perth County Roads

Click the links below to quickly navigate to each section of the Perth County Road page:

• Perth County Roads X (formerly Twitter)
• Construction and Road Closures - Municipal 511
• Provincial (MTO) Highway Information - Ontario 511
• Weather Network
• *NEW* Road Info Map - Have you ever wondered who looks after which road in Perth County? Click here to view our new interactive road information map. You can search for a road, learn more about who maintains it, and who to contact if there is an issue.

Alert Ready

• Alert Ready in Ontario is part of a national service designed to deliver Canadians' critical and potentially life-saving emergency alert messages.

• Check your phone’s compatibility.

Weather

• Perth County GIS Weather Info Map 
• The Weather Network
• Environment Canada - Weather Alert Interactive Map

Municipal 511 / Ontario 511

• Perth County  and its lower-tier municipalities post road closure information to a publicly available web site at Municipal 511; the community can also use Ontario 511 

Ontario’s hazards

• Different hazards require a different approach for being prepared and knowing how to protect yourself and your household. Learn more about Ontario’s hazards, so you can better prepare for them and know what to do to protect yourself. 

Emergency Management Ontario

• Emergency Information & Alerts

Government of Canada Resources

• Get Prepared website: www.getprepared.ca 

• Canadian Disaster Database: www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cdd