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Your Halton Connection May 2010 www.halton.ca 13 Independent & Free Press, Thursday, May 6, 2010 Emergency preparedness is everyone's responsibility by Regional Chair Gary Carr Halton is a safe place to live, work, play and retire, yet emergencies can happen at any time and any place. We all need to be prepared to deal with events such as hazardous spills, power outages, flooding, and other natural disasters. Representatives from Halton Region, the Halton Regional Police Service, and the Local Municipalities of Burlington, Halton Hills, Milton and Oakville work closely together to plan for emergencies, and to ensure a coordinated response and the safety and well-being of Halton residents. Together with our local emergency response partners, we have implemented an extensive Emergency Management Program that incorporates prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery activities for most emergencies. At Halton Region we are prepared with ongoing planning and upgrading of our emergency systems. Our activities include: using federal government funding to purchase a support vehicle for Emergency Medical Services, undertaking emergency exercises, upgrading our telecommunications equipment to ensure the lines of communication are able to stay open in any circumstances, and the implementation and testing of the Community Emergency Notification Service. Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. While governments at all levels are working hard to keep Canadians safe, individuals also have an Prepare an emergency kit yourself... A basic kit includes: kÏ Flashlight and batteries kÏ Radio and batteries or crank radio kÏ 1N?PCÏ@?RRCPGCQÏDMPÏP?BGMÏ?LBÏÎ?QFJGEFR kÏ First-Aid Kit kÏ Candles and matches/lighter kÏ Extra car keys and cash kÏ 'KNMPR?LRÏN?NCPQÏGBCLRGÍA?RGMLÏFMSQCÏ GLQSP?LAC kÏ Food and manual can opener kÏ Bottled water kÏ Blankets or sleeping bags kÏ Toilet paper and other personal items kÏ Clothing and footwear kÏ 5FGQRJCÏRMÏ?RRP?ARÏ?RRCLRGMLÏGDÏLCCBCB kÏ .J?WGLEÏA?PBQÏE?KCQ kÏ Backpack/duffel bag (to hold all of the CKCPECLAWÏQSPTGT?JÏIGRÏGRCKQ kÏ Special needs items ­ prescription KCBGA?RGMLQÏGLD?LRÏDMPKSJ?ÏMPÏCOSGNKCLRÏDMPÏ people with disabilities kÏ Your personal emergency plan Halton Region's Community $LDQFDMBXÐ-NSHÎB@SHNMÐ2DQUHBDÐ "$-2 is an emergency telephone MNSHÎB@SHNMÐRDQUHBDÐ(SÐVHKKÐADÐTRDCÐHMÐSGDÐ DUDMSÐNEÐ@ÐL@INQÐCHR@RSDQÐNQÐB@S@RSQNOGDÐ to communicate updates about emergency BNMCHSHNMRÐVG@SÐSNÐCNÐVGDQDÐSNÐFNÐNQÐ NSGDQÐUHS@KÐHMENQL@SHNMÐHMÐ@CCHSHNMÐSNÐ VG@SÐXNTiKKÐQDBDHUDÐEQNLÐSTMHMFÐHMSNÐ SDKDUHRHNMÐQ@CHNÐ@MCÐNSGDQÐRNTQBDRÐ'@KSNMÐ HRÐOQNTCÐSNÐADÐINHMHMFÐSGDÐFQNVHMFÐMTLADQÐ NEÐLTMHBHO@KHSHDRÐHMÐ"@M@C@ÐVGNÐG@UDÐ HLOKDLDMSDCÐRHLHK@QÐMNSHÎB@SHNMÐRXRSDLRÐ important role to play in preparing for emergencies. Are you prepared? With some careful planning and preparation, you can learn how to deal with emergencies and minimize the impact to your family. Residents need to be prepared to cope on their own for at least the first 72 hours of an emergency, while fire, police and paramedics help those in desperate need. Being prepared really is your best defence. Take a few simple steps to protect yourself and your family from all types of emergencies. 1. Make a family emergency plan 2. Prepare an emergency survival kit 3. Consider any special needs 4. Don't forget your pets 5. Practice Emergency Preparedness Week, May 2-8, 2010, is a Canada-wide initiative to increase awareness about individual and family preparedness. The theme in Ontario this year is: Take the Challenge. I invite you to visit www.ontario.ca/beprepared and take the short quiz. The Challenge will be open from April 29 to May 31. Everyone who successfully completes the quiz will be eligible for a chance to win a prize. Prizes will be awarded in early June. And at the end of the month, we'll find out who is most prepared! ...or buy one You can buy an emergency kit online or from local retailers. Visit www.halton.ca/bepreparedÏRMÏÍLBÏMSRÏ FMUÏRMÏK?ICÏMPÏMPBCPÏ?ÏIGRÏ?LBÏRMÏBMULJM?BÏ useful resources such as our Personal Emergency Preparedness Guide and video. We have also published a Pamphlet Series for people with special needs/ disabilities. These resources are available at Regional and Local Municipal EMTCPLKCLRÏMDÍACQÏ?LBÏD?AGJGRGCQ Ï2FCWÏA?LÏ?JQMÏ @CÏPCOSCQRCBÏ@WÏBG?JGLEÏÏMPÏÌÌÏ RMJJÏDPCCÏÌÌÌÏ227ÏÌÌÏMPÏ by email through accesshalton@halton.ca. Meetings at Halton Region Headquarters May 4 9:30 a.m. May 5 9:30 a.m. May 5 1:30 p.m. May 12 9:30 a.m. May 24 May 25 9:30 a.m. May 26 9:30 a.m. May 26 1:30 p.m. Health & Social Services Cte Planning & Public Works Cte Administration & Finance Cte Regional Council Meeting Offices closed for holiday Health & Social Services Cte Planning & Public Works Cte Administration & Finance Cte +D@QMÐLNQDÐ@ANTSÐGNVÐXNTÐB@MÐADÐOQDO@QDCÐAXÐUHRHSHMFÐwww.halton.ca/beprepared. We welcome your feedback. Contact Access Halton at accesshalton@halton.ca "G?JÏÏMPÏÌÌÏkÏ2MJJÏDPCCÏÌÌÌÏkÏ227ÏÌÌÏkÏUUU F?JRML A?Ï 2FCÏ0CEGML?JÏ+SLGAGN?JGRWÏMDÏ&?JRMLÏkÏÏ PMLRCÏ0B Ï-?ITGJJCÏ-LR?PGMÏÏ*+Ï* Meetings can be viewed at www.halton.ca This page has been donated by this newspaper to communicate important information to Halton residents at no cost to taxpayers.