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HomeMy WebLinkAbout87-53 .' # ~ <II THE CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE BY-LAW 87-53 AMENDED BY . ay.j.AW ,av.9~:.!~ l/ being a by-law formulating a plan for protecting property and the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants in an emergency area WHEREAS the Province of Ontario has passed an Act which provides for the Formulation and Implementation of Emergency Plans (Short title - The Emergency Plans Act, 1983) by the Council of a Municipality; AND WHEREAS this Act makes provision for Head of Council to declare that an emergency exists in the municipality orin any part thereof and also provides Head of Council with authority to take such action or deliver such orders as he considers necessary and are not contrary to law to implement the emergency plan of a municipality; AND WHEREAS the Act authorizes employees of a municipality to take action under the emergency plans where an emergency exists but has not yet been declared to exist; NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Newcastle enacts as follows: 1. THAT the Emergency Plan attached hereto as Schedule "A" of this By-law is hereby adopted; 2. THAT Head of Councilor designated alternate as provided in the plan is empowered to declare an emergency; 3. THAT certain appointed officials or their designated alternates as provided in the Schedule "A" plan are empowered to cause an emergency alert to be issued to members of the Municipal Control Group and to take action under the emergency plans where an emergency exists but has not yet been declared to exist; and 4. THAT annually, the Municipal Contnol Group will cause the emergency plan to be reviewed and to make such changes to its appendices as are considered appropriate while referring all other changes to Council for further review and approval. By-law uead a fi rst and second time this 23rd day of March, 1987 By- law read a third time and finally passed thisf3rd day of t;1arch, 1987 Clerk \ , , . MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD INTRODUCTION Purpose Activation MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP Authority Implementation and Procedures MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP OPERATIONS General Communications and Co-ordination RESPONS I BIll TI ES Municipal Control Group Head of Council Chief Administrative Officer Senior Police Official Senior Fire Official Director of Public Works Health Representative Social Services Representative ALERT PROCEDURE REQUEST FOR ASSISTANCE DISTRIBUTION LIST - i - - i - - i i - 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 5 5 5 6 6 7 8 Appendix Appendix 2 Appendix 3 , . " . MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN This plan has been formulated to assign responsibilities and to guide the immediate actions of key officials in the first few critical hours after the onset of an emergency. For this plan to be effective, it is essential that all concerned be made aware of its provisions and that every official and department be prepared to carry out their assigned functions and responsibilities in an emergency. Regular exercises should be staged to ensure the arrangements embodied in this plan are kept current and that all are kept familiar with its provi- sions. Department heads should likewise review and keep up to date their own procedures and arrangements for responding to emergencies. Mayer _ i i _ - 1 - . . MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN INTRODUCTION 1.) Emergencies are defined as situations or the threat of impending situations abnormally affecting property and the health, safety and welfare of a community, which by their nature or magnitude require a controlled and co-ordinated response by all agencies. These are dis- tinct from routine operations carried out by municipal agencies, e.g. firefighting, police or works departments, etc. , 2.) Legislation entitled "The Emergency Plans Act, 1983", is the primary authority enabling passage of the by- law formulating this emergency plan, which will govern the provision of necessary services during an emergency. This plan also prescribes procedures under the manner in which municipal employees and other persons will respond ~o an emergency. Important measures enabled under the legislation and which form part of this plan are: (a) expenditure of monies associated with the formu- lation and implementation of the emergency plan; (b) authorization for municipal employees to take appropriate action before formal declaration of an emergency; (c) specify procedures to be taken for safety and for evacuation of persons in an emergency area; (d) designate other members of council who may exer- cise powers and perform the duties of the Head of Council under the emergency plan during the absence of the Head of Councilor upon his inability to act; (e) establish committees and designate employees to be responsible for reviewing the emergency plan, training employees in their function and implementing the emergency plan during an emergency; (f) obtaining and distributing materials, equipment and supplies during an emergency, and (g) such other matters as are considered necessary or advisable for the implementation of the emergency plan during an emergency. c . - 2 - 3. ) The structure of the Durham Regional Government is such that many of the essential services required during emergencies are within its jurisdiction, e.g. Police, Social Services, Public Works and Health. Fire Service and local Public Works responsibilities are retained at area municipal level with the availability of support of the regional services mentioned above. In response to any major emergency it is essential that there be one main control centre at Regional level. It is recognized the Area Municipalities will want to respond to local emergencies by taking obvious immediate actions within their own resources and with the support of local sections of Regional Services. In some cases, this will be all that will be required. 4.) Purpose - The purpose of this plan is to establish emergency procedures and a Control Group within the Town of Newcastle to co-ordinate local response to major emergenci.es in order to review the situation and determine the necessity to activate the Regional Emergency Operations Control Group (REOCG) of the Regional Municipality of Durham and to make provision for the extraordinary arrangements and measures that may have to be taken to safeguard property and the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the Municipality of the Town of Newcastle when faced with an emergency. 5.) Activation - The emergency actions as outlined in this Plan will be initiated by the authorized personnel and agencies of the Town of Newcastle upon notification that.an abnormal emergency situation has or is likely to become existant. MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP 6.) If it is determined that the situation requires the activation of the RECG, the RECG shall be alerted and the members of the Municipal Control Group (MCG) will assume their individual responsibilities in the RECG's Peacetime Emergency Plan. Emergency Operations will be directed and controlled by the elected and appointed officials listed here- under who will assemble for this purpose at the Opera- tions tentre, (Police-Fire Building, 2nd Floor Court- room). This group will be known as the Municipal Control Group (MCG) and will be composed of: (a) (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) Mayor or alternate Chief Administrative Officer Police Chief or alternate Fire Chief or alternate Director of Public Works or alternate Health Official or alternate Social Service Director of Community Services or alternate. , . , . 7. ) a.) - 3 - Authorit~ - The Emergency Plans Act, 1983 states a "Head of Councl1 may declare that an emergency exists in the Municipality or in any part thereof and may take such action and make such orders as he considers necessary and are not contrary to the law to implement the emer- gency plan of the Municipality and to protect the property and the health, safety and welfare of the in- habitants of the emergency area". Accordingly, it is the principal function of the Municipal Control Group (MCG) and the Support Group, if assembled, to assist the, Head of Council in making and placing in effect any decisions and orders that are made to control and mitigate the effects of an emergency. Implementation and Procedures - Emergencies could arise with or without warning; this plan takes into account and is intended to deal with the worst case, a situation that develops without warning. .,. An emergency will usually be reported or discovered by either police or fire services who would, in dny event, be among the first to be called to the scene of a potential emergency. A senior member of the police or fire department, police chief or alternate, fire chief or alternate, should personally assume con- trol at the site of an emergency or arrange for an on- site co-ordinator to take charge immediately and then, depending upon the situation, he or she may make a decision to alert and assemble the MCG in accordance with the procedure as outlined in detail - Appendix #1. MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP OPERATIONS g.) 10. ) 11. ) Upon assembling, the Head of Council with the advice of other members of the MCG, may make a decision to declare an emergency and invoke the provisions of this emergency plan. . General - The role of the MCG can best be accomplished by round table assessment of events as they occur and by agree- ing on a course of action to overcome specific problems, areas er situations. Normally, an agreed course of action will be implemented by municipal departments functioning primarily within their own spheres, but co-ordinated through the MCG. , . - 4 - 12.) Communications and Co-ordination - An important function of every department is to provide timely information for the benefit of the MCG decision making process. This will necessitate a reliable system of communication between the emergency site and the MCG operations centre (Police-Fire Building). The Fire Department radio communication system will be used (3 channel capability) plus the telephone system. 13.) Once decisions have been taken by the MCG, it is essential they be quickly and accurately passed to every response agency and where necessary, to the public. This function should fall to the Chief Administration Officer, who will act as Operations Officer and be responsible for co-ordinating the activities of the operations centre and for ensuring good communications between all agencies involved in emer- gency operations. RESPONS I B 1 LI TI ES ... 1.4. ) Municipal Control Grou~ - Some or all of the following actions/decisions may aye to be considered Jnd dealt with by the MCG: (a) (b) (c) (d) declaring an lIemergency to exist"; designating any area in the municipality as an emergency area; authorizing expenditures of funds for imple- menting the emergency plan; lIevacuatingll those buildings or sections within an emergency area, which are themselves considered to be dangerous or in which the occupants are considered to be in danger from some other source; IIdispersing people" not directly connected with the operations, who by their presence are con- sidered to be in dangert or whose presence hinders in any way the efficient functioning of emergency opera t ions; IIdiscontinuing utilities" or services provided by public or private concerns without reference to any consumers in the municipality, or when continuation of such utilities or services con- stitutes a hazard to public safety within an emergency area; lIarranging for accommodation and welfare" on a temporary basis, of any residents who are in need of assistance due to displacement as a re- sult of the emergency; IIca11ing in and employment of any municipal per- sonnel and equipmentll which is required in an emergency; (e) (f) (g) (h) "arranging ass istance" from sen lor h've h 01 government and of other personnel and equipment of volunteer and other agencies not under muni- cipal control as may be requir~d hy the elllenj~nCYi "establishing an infonnation centre" for issuance of accurate releases to the news media and for issuance of authoritative instructions to the genera 1 public; "establishing a reporting and inquiry centrell to handle individual requests for information concerning any aspect of the emergency. Fonmulating Appendix to the Plan dealing with basic support groups and vital service groups. 15.) Head of Council - or alternate will perform the fol- lowing responsibilities: " .. - 5 - (1) (j) (k) (1) (a) (b) (c) (d) chair meetings of the MCG; declare an emergency to exist; ensure the Solicitor General of Ontario has be~n notified of the declaration' of an emergency; make decisions. determine priorities and issue operational direction through the operations officer and the heads of muni- cipal departments; request assistance from senior If>vI'I'. of government when required; approve news releases and public announce- ments; terminate the emergency at the appropriate time and ensure all concerned have been notified. establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. (e) (0 (g) (h) 16.) Chief Administrative Officer - will act as an Opera- tions Officer and have responsibilities as follows: (a) organize and supervise the Operations Centre and make arrangements for obtaining and dis- playing up-to-date information at all times; (b) arrange and co-ordinate communications systems; (c) advise the Head of Council on Administrative matters; (d) be responsible for media arrangements and assist in the preparation and issue of press and public announcements; (e) e~tablish and co-ordinate basic support groups. I, 17.) Senior Police Official - or his alternate. upon learning of a potential emergency should consider the possible need for activation of the emergency plan and if warranted he should trigger the alert system outlined in Appendix". Thereupon. he would report to the Operations Centre to sit as a member of the MCG and to perform the following additional functions and responsibilities: (a) provide the Head of Council with information and advise on law enforcement matters; - 6 - (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) appoint an on-site co-ordinator to control operations at the scene of an emergency; seal off the area of concern; control and if necessary, disperse crowds within the emergency area; control the movement of emergency vehicles to and from the site of the emergency; co-ordinate poHce operations with other municipal departments and arrange for addi- tional supplies and equipment when needed; conduct evacuation of buildings or areas when ordered by the Head of Council; arrange for maintenance of law and order in temporary facilities. protect property in the emergency area; 'arrange for additional police assistance, if required. advise the Coroner in the event of fatalities and perfonm whatever additional responsibili- ties may be necessary under the Coroners Act. establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. (9) (h) (1) (j) (k) (1) 18.) Senior E)re Official - or his alternate, upon learning of a potential emergency should consider the need for possible activation of the emcrClency plan, and if warranted. he should trigger the emergency alert system described in Appendix #1. Thereupon he should report to the Operations Centre to sit as a member of the MCG and perform the following additional functions and responsibi- 1 it ies: (a) (b) (c) (d) provide Head of Council with information and advice on firefighting matters; develop and maintain a system for alerting MCG members in an emergency. appoint an on-site co-ordinator to control operations at the scene of an emergency; infonn the Durham Region Fire Co-Ordinator and request mutual aid if additional man- power and equipment is needed. detennine if specialized equipment is needed and recommend pOSSible sources of supply; provide assistance to other municipal depart- ments and agencies and be prepared to take charge or contribute to non-firefighting operations, if necessary. &~tablish and co-ordinate basic support groups. (e) (f) (g) 19.) Director of Public Works - or his alternate, upon learning of a potential emergency should consider the need for possible activation of the emergency plan and if warranted, he should trigger the emer- " gency alert system as described in Appendix #1. Thereupon. he should report to the Operations Centre to act as a member of the MCG and to perform the following additional functions and responsibilities: /- - - (a) provide Head of Council with information and advice on engineering matters. appoint an on-site co-ordinator to control operations at the scene of an emergency, maintain liaison with flood control, con- servation and environmental agencies dnd be prepared to conduct relief or preventa- tive operations~ provide engineer materials, supplies and equipment. provide public works fleet of vetlicles equipment and manpower, if requested, assist traffic control, evacuations, etc. by clearing emergency routes, marKing ob- stacles, providing road signs, etc. maintain liaison with private utility companies, (hydro, gas, telephone, etc.) and make recommendations for discontinuation of any utility. publiC or private, where necessary. in the interest of public safety, .~ake recommendations and demolish unsafe - structures if ordered by the Head of Council, re-establish essential services dl llle con- clusion of an emergency. establish and co-ordinate basic su~~orL groups. (b) (c) (d) (e) (f) (g) (h) ( i ) (j) 20.) Health Representative - or his alterndle, uJJon learning of a potential emergency, should con- sider the need for possible activation of the emergency plan and if warranted, trigger the emergency alert system described in Appendix '1. Thereupon, he should report to the Opera- tions Centre to act as a member of the MCG and either perform the following functions or re- port the situation to a competent medical authority who would then take such appropriate action in conjunction with the MCG, as the situation warrants: (a) Public Health matters are normally the responsibility of the Medical Officer of Health who will normally take charge in such situations and i. provide advice on publiC health matters If to MCG, i1. arrange for dissemination of special in- structions to the population on matters concerning public health, iii. arrange for mass immunization, where needed, iv. arrange for testing of water supplies and make recommendations for arranging alternate supplies, v. notify other agencies dnd senior levels of government about health related matters. (b) Mass Casualties - arrange for coping with mass , . - 8 - casualties through local hospital and ambulance service. These arrangements should be worked out beforehand to provide for the following activities: (1) bringing casualties to a central point for triage and afterwards arranging a balanced distribution of casualties to hospitals; provision of first aid for minor casualties who would not require trans- portation to a hospital; (c) Establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. (2) 21.) Social Services Representative - Director of Community Services or alternate will fulfill social services functions and perform the following responsibilities and duties: (a) provide advice to the Head of Council and other members of the MCG; (b) according to the nature of the emergency. imple- ment appropriate aspects of a social service plan (these should be developed beforehand with the assistance of the support group) to provide for (l) 'reception centres, which will provide accommodation, feeding and other emer- gency welfare services for those who will have had to be evacuated for any reason, (Z) distribution of clothing and other essentials to evacuees, (3) operation of a Reception and Inquiry system to deal with inquiries from concerned friends and relatives from within and outside the community. (4) emergency purchases of food. supplies, etc. that cannot be obtained in any other way, (5) to provide a separate reception and feeding centre to provide rest area and food for the workers who are taking . part in the emergency. (c) Establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. ,." . MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX III NOTE: (1) Members will be called in order shown. (2) Alternates will be called only if the primary member cannot be contacted. (3) Members and alternates are asked to notify the Fire Department of a change in their telephone numbers. - i i - ,.- . MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX #1 Alert Procedure 1.} On receipt of an official message from an authorized member of the Municipal Control Group, (identified hereunder), the Town of Newcastle Fire Department will implement the procedure by telephoning members in the order stated. / Fire Department Headquarters Telephone No. 623-9111 Appointment (a) Head of Council (b) Fire Chief Alternate Platoon Chief (c) Police Chief (d) Director of Works Alternate Deputy Director of Public Works (e) Chief Administrative Officer Alternate Town Clerk (f) Health Official Dr. Jean Gray Alternate Brian Devitt (g) Social Services - Director of Community Services Alternate Deputy Director of Community Services . . . . , . MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX 112 Request for Provincial Assistance 1.) If available resources are insufficient to meet emer- gency requirements, then assistance may be requested from the Province. Such requests are directed through area/region/district offices of the Provincial ministry/ agency who normally provide services in the local area. Provincial Ministry/Agencies. (a) Ontario Provincial Police. (b) Environment (c) Natural Resources (d) Transportation/Communications (e) Community/Social Services (f) Municipal Affairs/Housing (g) Medical Officer of Health - 987-4060 - 434-3000 - 571-3211 1-800-268-0637 579-0622 - 571-1515 - 723-8521 Ministry/Agency offices have responsibility for informing their headquarters and for arranging types and levels of assistance beyond local capabilities. 2.) In the case of severe or wide spread emergencies munici- palities may alert the Provincial Government and obtain assistance by telephoning the Duty Officer at O.P.P. General Heqdquarters in Toronto, 4l6-965-5751. The O.P.P. Duty Officer will thereafter assume responsibility for notifying the appropriate ministry (s) and depending upon the nature of the emergency a lead ministry may be appointed to co-ordinate the provisions of assistance by all provincial government ministries. 3.) The same procedure should be followed if assistance is re- quired from the Federal government, including assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces. . . , ,. .'. MUNICIPALITY OF THE 10WN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX #3 DISTRIBUTION LIST Listed hereunder are persons who will receive copies of the plan and the number of copies they will receive. NAME NUMBER 1 5 2 5 1 each 1 Head of Counc il Fi re Dep9rtment Police Department Administrative Office Members of Support Group Durham Region Co-Ordinator of Emergency Planning for Onto Director of Public Works Health OfficiSll Director of Community Services 1 2 2 2