Emergencies can happen anywhere at any time with little or no warning. Your best protection in any emergency is to be prepared for the unexpected and know what to do. This will help you control the situation better and allow you to recover more quickly.
Climate within Barrie is changing. Increases in mean annual temperatures, changes in the timing and average annual precipitation and increases in the intensity, duration and frequency of extreme storm events are taking place.
Municipal Preparedness
The City of Barrie Emergency Plan establishes an emergency management structure and emergency response guidelines for the City, and related emergency agencies, in the event of a major emergency that is beyond the normal response capabilities of the municipality. The plan provides for the extraordinary arrangements and measures that may be required to protect the health, safety, welfare, environment and economic health of Barrie residents, businesses and visitors when faced with an emergency.
Provincial Preparedness
The Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, through Emergency Management Ontario, maintains a full-time provincial emergency operations centre to monitor the public safety situation and coordinate the provincial response to any emergency.
Federal Preparedness
Public Safety Canada is responsible for developing and implementing federal policies for emergency management. Public Safety Canada also coordinates Emergency Preparedness Week (first full week of May, annually) in collaboration with the provinces/territories and partners.
Pandemic Planning
During the 20th century, the world faced three flu pandemics; the Hong Kong Flu in 1968, the Asian Flu in 1957 and the most deadly, the Spanish Flu in 1918 - 1919 that killed 25 million people. Although the 2010 H1N1 Influenza Pandemic was not as severe as anticipated, public health experts advise that another influenza pandemic could happen anytime.
If we are prepared, we can reduce the number of people who will become infected and the number who will die. Since pandemic flu spreads the same way as seasonal flu (influenza), its spread can be greatly reduced by taking these precautions:
- Get your flu shot every year; the flu shot will not protect you from a pandemic flu virus, but it will protect you from getting ordinary flu, which could weaken your immune system or resistance to the pandemic flu.
- Wash your hands with soap thoroughly and often; good hand hygiene is the best way to prevent the spread of all viruses.
- Keep an alcohol-based sanitizer (gel or wipes) handy at work, home and in the car.
- Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or cough and sneeze into your sleeve.
- Stay home when you are sick.