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The Emergency Management Program
Every municipality must have an emergency management program that meets the legal requirements set out in Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and Ontario Regulation 380/04. These documents provide the minimum standards for municipal emergency management programs in Ontario.
The Emergency Management Civil Protection Act requires that every municipality develop and implement an “Emergency Management Program”.
In general, Markham’s Emergency Management Program (MEMP) consists of:
- An emergency plan based on hazards and threats identified in Markham.
- An annual training or Markham employees involved in responding to emergency
- An annual emergency exercise to provide an opportunity for staff to practice how they will respond in an emergency.
- A public education program on risks to public safety and on how to be prepared for an emergency.
The Emergency Plan
Markham’s Emergency Plan ensures that staff are trained, equipped and prepared to maintain an environment that is safe for citizens, businesses and the community in the event of a declared emergency.
An emergency can be many things for many people. For the purpose of Markham’s Emergency Plan, an “emergency,” is defined as “a situation or an impending situation that constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property and that is caused by the forces of nature, a disease or other health risk, an accident or an act whether intentional or otherwise;”
Why does Markham need an Emergency Plan?
Markham is located in the heart of the Greater Toronto Area, and is one of the fastest growing municipalities in Ontario with a population of 310,000. It is the largest of nine municipalities in the Regional Municipality of York (“York Region”) with a land area of 212 square kilometres and over 400 corporate head offices and more than 800 high technology and life sciences companies. These factors create the need to be prepared for emergencies.
What does the Emergency Plan do?
Markham’s Emergency Plan assists key decision makers and emergency personnel in their response to situations that extend beyond the scope of routine emergency response. The Plan is reviewed annually and defines the roles and responsibilities of municipal officials, staff and other agencies including federal, provincial and regional levels of government. Industry partners and volunteer groups that may need to be involved in a variety of emergency situations are also identified.
Having an emergency plan and emergency management program helps to support the earliest possible response in order to:
- Protect and preserve the life, health, and safety of the residents and businesses of Markham;
- Protect and preserve the property and environment of the residents and businesses of Markham;
- Minimize the effects of the emergency on Markham;
- Restore essential services in a timely manner;
- Assist York Region as required, if resources allow; and
- Assist other communities outside the immediate areas, as requested, if resources allow.
More information on Markham’s Emergency Management Program and Plan
For more information on Markham’s Emergency Management Program and Emergency Plan, contact:
Sonia Singh, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator at 905-477-7000 extension 2471 or email ssingh@markham.ca.
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