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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, November 15, 2013 | 10 Your Halton Connection www.halton.ca November 2013 Be prepared for winter weather BY REGIONAL CHAIR GARY CARR Take three steps to protect yourself and your family from emergencies Step 1. Know the Risks Every year people are faced with emergency situations. In some cases, these situations are life altering. Don't be caught off-guard. Know the hazards in your area. Learn more about risks that may occur in Halton by visiting www.halton.ca/ beprepared. road reports before you leave. · The Halton Regional Police Service frequently receives 911 calls reporting damage to trees or property. Unless the storm has caused immediate danger or risk to someone's personal safety, dial 311 rather than 911. · Stay up to date by visiting www.halton.ca/ beprepared, monitoring Halton's Twitter feed @BPreparedHalton, listening for the latest warnings and advisories on radio or television, or dialing 311 or TTY 905-827-9833. 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 most directly affected. Being prepared really is your best defence. Halton is a leader in emergency preparedness. We all need to be prepared, because emergencies can happen any time and any place. When facing a winter storm preparation is key. In Halton our emergency response partners, the Halton Regional Police Service, the City of Burlington, the Town of Halton Hills, the Town of Milton, and the Town of Oakville, work together to provide a coordinated approach to planning for and managing emergencies. Our goal is to ensure that residents are safe and that Halton is a disaster resilient community ready to deal with any potential, imminent or actual emergency. While governments and partners at all levels work hard to keep residents safe, individuals also have an important role to play. Are you prepared? Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. Step 2. Make a Plan Everyone in your family should know what to do before, during and after an emergency. Develop a plan for you and your family and keep it in a safe place. Remember to include the special needs of any family members as well as any animals such as pets. Review and use our Personal Emergency Preparedness Guide for tips. You can find it on our website, or dial 311 to request a copy. Set 3. Get a Kit Assemble a Family Emergency GoKit to use during an evacuation of your home. Your Go-Kit should at a minimum include the items listed in the checklist and should pack into an easy to carry container, such as a backpack or duffel bag. Make sure everyone knows where to find your Go-Kit. Visit www.halton.ca/beprepared to find out how to make or order a Go-Kit and to download useful resources, such as our Personal Emergency Preparedness Guide and video. Take the Emergency Preparedness online quiz every month for a chance to win a kit. Winter Storms Winter storms can make driving hazardous and may cause power outages leaving you without heating, lighting, water or phone services. Take these steps prior to a winter storm: · Check the radio, television or halton.ca/beprepared for updates, information or instructions. · Stock up on water and ready-to-eat food, as well as battery-powered or wind-up flashlights and radios ­ and extra batteries. In other words, have an emergency go-kit and a shelter-in-place/stay at home kit in your home. · Keep an emergency car survival kit in your car, make sure that your car is serviced, and that your gas tank is filled above halfway. Halton Region launches enhanced emergency notification service Halton Region's Community Emergency Notification Service (CENS) is one of many tools Halton and the Local Municipalities use to notify residents in emergency situations. In the event of a major disaster or catastrophe, CENS will phone affected households throughout Halton. On November 1, Halton Region launched an improved emergency notification service using an enhanced database that includes contact information for more than 95 per cent of Halton residents and businesses with traditional land line telephone service. This makes Halton one of the first Canadian municipalities to have access to this enhanced data for use in our Community Emergency Notification Service, helping to ensure that Halton Region remains not only the safest region in Canada, but one of the most prepared. Learn more at www.halton.ca/ beprepared. November marks National Access Awareness Week Take this time to consider the unique challenges facing people with disabilities or special needs ­ particularly in the event of an emergency. Order copies of our seven pamphlets on emergency preparedness for persons with special needs or disabilities: Hearing, Highrise Safety, Mobility, Non-Visible Disabilities, Seniors with Special Needs, Travel Considerations and Vision by visiting our website or dialing 311. During a severe winter storm, follow these tips: · Try to stay indoors. If you must go out, remember to dress for the weather. · Avoid unnecessary travel. If you must travel, be sure to allow extra time and let someone know your route and expected arrival time. Check weather and Meetings at Halton Region www.halton.ca/meetings Nov 26 Nov 27 Nov 28 9:30 a.m. Health & Social Services Cttee. 9:30 a.m. Planning & Public Works Cttee. 9:30 a.m. Admin & Finance Cttee. Please contact us as soon as possible, if you have any accessibility needs at Halton Region events or meetings. We welcome your feedback. Contact us at AccessHalton@halton.ca. This page has been donated by this newspaper to communicate important information to Halton residents at no cost to taxpayers.