Emergency Measures

The RM of St. Clements Emergency Measures Office is dedicated to providing residents with the best integrated emergency management system available.

The province has started putting more legislation in place to ensure communities are prepared for emergency situations impacting their residents. A few things they are beginning to explore are annual exercises, community involvement and council training. The province is hoping with this new legislation that it will ensure all communities are prepared and reduce the impact of emergency events when they happen.

The RM has been working diligently to comply with new provincial regulations to be ready to manage, assist and protect residents in the event of an emergency.

On this page, you will find links to important downloads to protect your home, family and work place, as well as what the Province of Manitoba is doing for you. For more information, or if you wish to participate in preparing your community, contact: Director of Protective Services at 204-482-3300 or e-mail: protect@rmofstclements.com

For a copy of the RM of St. Clements Personal Family Emergency Plan, please click here.

Call for Volunteers

The RM of St. Clements is committed to constantly improving our Emergency Measures.  We have taken many positive steps forward including adapting and updating our Emergency Plan, holding information sessions for our residents to learn more about fire safety, RCMP forums and emergency training as well as constantly adding to our volunteer listing in event of an emergency.  We are confident that our Municipality is filled with caring and compassionate people that would jump at the chance to help during an emergency.  If a volunteer opportunity is something you would like to learn more about, please reach out to our Emergency Coordinator, Tyler Freeman, by phone at 204-785-4157 or by email at tyler@rmofstclements.com.

Call for Vulnerable Persons

Another proactive step that we are taking in case of an emergency is compiling a list of those who would self identify as vulnerable.  ‘Vulnerable’ could include many different definitions, for example: it could be a pregnant mother or it could be someone that receives home care.  The list would be invaluable for us to be able to check on these individuals in case of an emergency in our Municipality.
If this may be you, or someone you know, please reach out to our Emergency Coordinator, Tyler Freeman, by phone at 204-785-4157 or by email at protect@rmofstclements.com.

At Home and At Work

Individuals, families and work places are important to the RM in the emergency management process since most emergencies will have an effect at the individual level first. There are a number of steps that can be taken to prevent, prepare and respond to an emergency in order to limit the seriousness of the effects an emergency can have in your daily lives.

We all have a responsibility to prepare for emergencies. At home, this requires an understanding of everyone’s unique needs, supplies to take care of yourself for a period of at least 72 hours, that’s 3 days, while emergency workers help those in urgent need. Also required are detailed plans on what you will do if there is an emergency. At work, your emergency planning should include procedures to deal with a disruption, and an understanding of how specific hazards would impact your business.

What are the risks

Manitoba’s unique geography and varied climates results in a wide range of potential hazards. Know your area and learn how you can prepare for all types of emergencies. The best offense is a strong defense. Prepare various emergency plans so you and your family are ready for anything.

Prepare at Home

Emergency preparedness is initially a personal responsibility. While governments have resources available to assist as an emergency escalates, individuals are expected to have made plans and take steps to secure the safety of themselves, their families, and any other responsibilities. Its often said that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, and that’s certainly the case for emergency preparedness – a little bit of effort is worth a lot of peace-of-mind, and will be an invaluable resource if you are impacted by a disaster. Some basic measures to prepare your home for an emergency includes these important tips:

  • Now is the ideal time to review your family emergency plan and make sure that you have an emergency kit ready (see below)
  • Make sure to have supplies (including water and first aid), groceries and medications on hand
  • In case of power outages, have flashlights, candles, blankets and power banks charged
  • Know the notification/warning systems the Municipality uses – we continue to post on: our website, our social medias like Facebook and Twitter as well as our Connect program which you can sign up for here to receive emergency notifications via phone call, text or email
  • If you are a vulnerable person, prepare a list of people who can help you in case of an emergency, this might include friends, family members or neighbours 

For more info visit the Government of Canada’s Get Prepared website.

Prepare at Work

Every business and organization can experience a serious incident which can prevent it from continuing normal operations. This can happen any day at any time. At work, your emergency preparedness should include the development of a Business Continuity Planning (BCP) program to identify your essential services, when they need to be delivered, and how your employees will respond when there is a disruption. Business Continuity Planning is a component of emergency planning that is intended to minimize the impacts of a disruption on business activities.

BCP is designed to help an organization continue providing its basic and most critical functions during a disruption. This requires an understanding of your obligations to those who depend on your services, the exposure to risk your organization is willing to tolerate, and the requirements (such as equipment, data, personnel and facilities) required to deliver the required services. From this, a plan is prepared to identify the tasks, procedures and organization required to work through a disruption. Whatever the size of your organization or the nature of your business, an investment in BCP will improve your ability to minimize losses, meet obligations, and build confidence from the people who depend on your services.

Emergency Kit

An emergency kit contains supplies your household may need during an emergency. During an emergency you may not have access to power or tap water. You and your family should be prepared to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours.

Basic Emergency Kit

A kit should be assembled well ahead of an emergency as you may only have minutes to collect essentials. Creating a basic kit may be as easy as putting together items you already have such as food, water and blankets. Your kit should be in a container that is durable and easy to carry such as a duffle bag or suitcase with wheels. Keep your kit in an easily accessible location and tell all members of your household where the kit is located.

  • Water (2 litres per person per day)
  • Food (that won’t go bad such as canned food, energy bars and dried food. Replace food and water once a year)
  • Manual can opener
  • Flashlight and batteries
  • Radio (battery-powered or wind up)
  • Extra batteries
  • First aid kit
  • Special needs items
    • prescription medicine
    • infant formula and diapers
    • equipment for people with disabilities
    • pet food and extra water for pets
  • Extra keys for your home and vehicle
  • Cash (small bills such as $10 and change for payphones)

Additional Supplies

The basic emergency kit will help you through the first 72 hours of an emergency. It is recommended you also have the following supplies:

  • Two additional litres of water per person per day
  • Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person
  • Complete change of clothes including shirt, pants and sturdy shoes
  • Candles and matches in a waterproof container
  • Paper and pencil
  • Whistle
  • Books, games, playing cards, puzzles or other activities for children
  • Toiletries
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Toilet paper
  • Utensils
  • Garbage bags
  • Household chlorine bleach or water purification tablets/drops
  • Basic tools (hammer, pliers, screwdriver, work gloves, pocket knife)
  • Duct tape
  • Small fuel-operated stove and fuel
  • Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification, bank account records.

For additional Emergency Kit and 72 hour preparedness information visit the Get Prepared website.

Prepare for Specific Emergencies

Floods

Information on flood protection here.

Severe Storms

Severe weather can develop in any season, and has the potential to close roads and facilities, damage our utilities, and severely damage property. Manitoba has a long record of severe weather, including blizzards, tornadoes, heavy rain, windstorms, hail, and thunderstorms. They can occur at any time, and present a serious threat to life and property.

The best way to prepare for a severe weather event is to make a commitment to emergency preparedness in your home. It is also a good idea to consider the severe weather hazards that might arise with seasonal changes, and to take simple steps around your home to minimize the risk of damage. Monitoring weather conditions and forecasts will give you a chance to prepare for a severe weather emergency before it happens.

Tornadoes

Environment Canada reports that Manitoba gets 7-10 tornadoes every year. While tornadoes damage a relatively small area, they present an extremely dangerous threat with strong winds and flying debris.

It’s important to make plans ahead of time on where you will shelter in your home, and what basic steps you should take to protect your home and family from harm if there is a tornado threat.

Power Failures

The failure of any utility would result in severe disruptions. While there have been investments to protect these systems and extensive planning to manage the emergency if there was a failure, we’ve had many examples – such as the Quebec ice storm – of the widespread impact of a utility failure. A power failure in winter is a serious concern in Manitoba, where we regularly experience extended and extreme periods of cold weather.

Forest Fires

Forest fire season in Manitoba is April 1 to Oct over 15, making spring and summer the most conducive times for forest fires. People living in close proximity to forested areas or using such area for recreational purposes need to know how to protect themselves in the event of a forest fire.

Chemical Releases

Chemical releases and hazardous materials incidents can vary greatly, and may require a wide range of actions if an accidental release occurs. In addition to developing a good level of general preparedness, it’s also important to understand some of the potentially hazardous substances near your home or office, and what actions might be required to protect yourself.

Pandemics

While all public health emergencies are cause for concern, there has been a particular focus on the threat of a pandemic influenza in recent years. In addition to leading a range of pandemic planning activities, the Government of Manitoba has developed a number of tools to provide the best possible forecast of what a pandemic influenza will be like, and to guide individuals, schools, and businesses as they prepare.

Recover from Disaster

Recovering from a disaster is usually a gradual process. Safety is a primary issue, as are mental and physical well-being. If assistance is available, knowing how to access it makes the process faster and less stressful. This section offers some general advice on steps to take after disaster strikes in order to begin getting your home and your life back to normal.

Re-entry

After a flood or other natural disaster, going back into your home can be dangerous because of structural, electrical or other hazards. Before returning home be sure that permission have been given by authorities and that the building is safe.

Clean Up

Disasters make a mess and one of the first jobs is to clean up. Safety should always be the very first consideration.

Houses that have been flooded or damaged by water need special attention to avoid mold growth. Proper cleaning techniques are essential to your safety while cleaning mold, and to ensure contaminants are properly removed and will not create a hazardous environment in your home.

Rebuilding

Repairs after a disaster should be treated like any other home renovations; you need to do some research, ensure safe practices are being followed, and check the quality of the work and compliance with codes and standards.

The goal of recovery and restoration operations is to, recover the facility or operation and maintain critical service or product delivery. Recovery and restoration includes:

  • re-deploying personnel;
  • deciding whether to repair the facility, relocate to an alternate site or build a new facility;
  • acquiring the additional resources necessary for restoring business operations;
  • re-establishing normal operations; and
  • resuming operations at pre-disruption levels.

Resources

Helpful Links

Government of Canada

Government of Manitoba

City of Winnipeg

Manitoba Hydro