Take these steps to prepare for an emergency:
- Know the risks in your community
- Make a plan with your family
- Make a 72-hour emergency kit
Know the Risks
The City of Markham reviews the hazards to our community ever year. These are the top ten hazards that could affect us:
Hazards
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Threats
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Major highways
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Transportation accident involving hazardous goods
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Severe winter storms
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Disruption to travel and business
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Severe summer storms
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Flooding and property damage
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Water pipelines
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Contaminated water supply
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Climate change
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Prolonged heat wave
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Cyber attack
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Prolonged disruption of city services
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Technical power system failure
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Widespread multi-day power outages
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Major airports, large airliners
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Light aircraft accident
Catastrophic airliner crash
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Epidemic
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Infectious disease outbreaks in human or animals
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Technical communication system failure
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Widespread multi-day communications breakdown
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Make a Plan
It is important to have a family emergency plan. It will make a real emergency less stressful.
You only need about 30 minutes to prepare a plan. Make it a fun family activity during the weekend.
Your plan should consider these things:
- Safe exits from home and neighbourhood
- Meeting places to reunite with family or roommates
- Designated person to pick up children if you can’t
- Contact persons nearby and out-of-town
- Health and insurance information
- Places for your pet to stay
- Risks in your region
- Location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical panel, gas valve and floor drain
Commuters
If you are a commuter in Markham, please use this Commuter Emergency Plan [PDF]. Use it to create your own commuter emergency plan. It will be helpful if there are travel delays caused by:
- Severe weather events
- Power outages
- Heavy traffic
Pets
You should have an emergency plan for your pet. Use this Pet Emergency Kit Checklist [PDF] to create a plan.
Have your pet licensed and microchipped. This makes it easier to reunite you with your pet if you are separated.
Some shelters and hotels will only accept service animals. In an emergency, you may not be able to keep your pet with you. Create a list of hotels, veterinary clinics, and animal shelters where you can bring your pet. Check with friends and family members who may care for your pet if you must evacuate.
Get an Emergency Kit
You should be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for three days (72 hours). A Home Emergency Preparedness Kit will help you do that.
- Our Emergency Preparedness Guide [PDF] includes instruction about how to make a kit. If someone in your home has special needs, include their special items in your home kit.
- If you have a pet, make a Pet Emergency Preparedness Kit [PDF].
- Keep an Emergency Car Kit in every vehicle you own.
- Have a “Grab and Go” Emergency Kit for each member of your household. Keep these near your exit doors. This helps if you must evacuate your home quickly.
A basic emergency preparedness kit should include:
- Water – 4 litres per person per day (2 litres for drinking and 2 litres for sanitation and food preparation)
- Non-perishable food (e.g. canned food, dried food, energy bars)
- Manual can opener
- Wind-up or battery-powered radio and flashlight
- First aid kit
- Extra keys for home and car
- Cash in small bills and change
- Change of clothes
- Emergency blanket/sleeping bag
- Special items such as prescription medications, infant formula, etc.
Pickup Your Emergency Preparedness Guide
You can download the guide here [PDF], or pick it up in person at:
- Markham Civic Centre, 101 Town Centre Blvd.
- Any Markham Public Library Branch
- Any Markham Community Centre
We also recommend that you print out this City of Markham Emergency and Non-Emergency Contact Information [PDF] and keep it in your home, car, and office.
For more information on Emergency Preparedness visit:
The City of Markham has an emergency management program. It meets the requirements of Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act and Ontario Regulation 380/04.
Markham’s Emergency Management Program (MEMP) consists of:
- An emergency plan based on hazards and threats identified in Markham.
- Annual training for Markham employees involved in responding to emergency.
- An annual emergency exercise to provide an opportunity for city staff to practice how to respond in an emergency.
- A public education program about risks to public safety and how to be prepared for an emergency.
You can read Markham’s Emergency Plan [PDF].
Contact Information
For more information on the MEMP, please contact:
Sonia Singh, Emergency Preparedness Coordinator
905-477-7000 extension 2471
Email: ssingh@markham.ca
The following contact information is helpful in an emergency. Keep a copy of it in your home, your car, and at work. You can also download this information: Markham Emergency and Non-Emergency Information Sheet [PDF].
Emergency & Health Services
- York Regional Police
(Non-Emergency) 905-773-1221 or 1-866-8POLICE
- York Region Public Emergency Medical Services
905-830-4444 extension 74181 or 1-800-361-5653
- Markham Stouffville Hospital
(Non-Emergency) 905-472-7000 or (Emergency) 905-472-7111
- Community Care Access Centre of York Region
1-888-470-2222
- Markham Fire & Emergency Services
905-415-7521 (8:30 am to 4:30 pm, Mon to Fri) or 905-477-2011 (after-hours, weekends, holidays)
Utility Companies
Government Agencies
General Information
Services for Homeless in Markham
Vulnerable people in the York Region can get housing support. The York Region Community & Health Services Department funds these shelter services:
Daily Shelter Services
“Inn from the Cold” – call 905-895-8889
- Shelter is open 8 PM to 8 AM, 7 days a week from November to April
York Region Street Outreach Van – call 866-553-4053 from 2:00 pm-9:00 pm, 7 days a week
- Operates in Markham 4:00 pm-5:00 pm on Sundays and 2:00 pm-5:00 pm on Tuesdays
Limited Operation Shelter Services
Mosaic Interfaith Out of the Cold Program - call 416-948-6682
- Shelters are located within faith organizations
- Shelter locations rotate with schedule posted on their website at www.miotc.ca
- Four locations in Markham from January to March 2015
- Sundays (January 18-March 29)
- Toronto Chinese Community Church. 100 Acadia Avenue
- Wednesdays (January 14- March 25)
- Rouge Valley Mennonite Church, 7452 Reesor Rd
- Thursdays (January 8- February 5)
- St. Luke’s Catholic Parish, 39 Green Lane, Thornhill
- Fridays (January 9- March 13)
- Thornhill United Church, 25 Elgin Street, Thornhill
If you see someone sleeping outside during an extreme cold warning, contact York Region Police: 905-773-1221.
Community Alert
Markham and 105.9 The Region (CFMS) give updates on emergency situations in the community. Tune in to 105.9 FM to hear these updates.
York Regional Police Community Alert
You can sign up for alerts from York Regional Police. Register for the program to be notified about situations such as:
- Break and enters
- Vehicle thefts
- Missing children
- Emergency alerts
Documents & Resources
Emergency Plans
Emergency Preparedness Resources
Ontario Seniors - How to be Prepared for an Emergency
Emergency Preparedness Activities for Children and Teens
