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HomeMy WebLinkAboutFD-5-87 TOWN OF NEWCASTLE u REPORT File # / ' _ Res. # ,� By-Law # MEETING: GENERAL PURPOSE AND ADMINISTRATION COMMITTEE DATE: MARCH 16, 1987. REPORT #: FD 5-87 FILE #: 10. 12.6 - i SUBJECT: G.P.A. Resolution 22-87 - "THAT the Fire Chief and Councillor McKnight arrange a meeting with the General Purpose and Admini- stration Committee to review the Emergency Plan". RECOMMENDATIONS: It is respectfully recommended: THAT Fire Department Report No. 5-87 be received for consideration. BACKGROUND AND COMMENTS Under the authority of The Emergency Plans Act 1983, it states that it is the responsi- bility of municipal government to provide for the formulation and implementation of an I Emergency Plan. In keeping with this, the attached Emergency Plan was drafted using the guidelines of the "Provincial Guide to Emergency Planning and Operations by Municipali- ties". The Plan establishes a committee, known as the Municipal Control Group (M.C.G. ) , who would assemble and deal with emergency situations, when they arise. The word emergency is used throughout the Plan with the following meaning - an emergency is an accident with significant consequences, its results in actual or potential loss of life, injuries and/or property damage and its affects in all or a significant part of a community. Typical emergencies are large scale fires, nuclear accident, explosion, epidemic, flood, tornado, toxic spill , etc. The Emergency Plan details general responsibilities of each member of the M.C.G. , lists alerting procedures and establishes an Operations Centre. Continues . . . . . . . I� I CCc FD 5-87 - 2 - Once the Plan has been approved by By-law, the M.C.G. would meet to discuss the Emer- gency Plan, would formulate a Vital Services and Support Group Directory and would plan for annual training exercises. The M.C.G. would then have to consider drafting a three year proposal for projects that would have a positive impact on the level of emergency preparedness and would qualify for assistance under the Ontario Joint Emergency Planning Program. This report would then be presented to Council. The J.E.P.P. Program is a federal government program, administered through the provin- cial government, to assist in emergency planning, and shares costs for emergency planning projects on a 50% basis. The applicant must certify that their share of the 50% cost of the projects for each year has been allocated. Some project items the M.C.G. may consider would be cost for formulating the Plan, operation centre requirements, communication equipment, training exercises, etc. In consideration of the foregoing and to prepare for the M.C.G. to formally meet to continue emergency planning, the next step is for the General Purpose and Administration Committee to recommend that this Emergency Plan be approved by By-law. Respectfully submitted, Recommended for presentation to the Committee T.7 Aldridg , Councillor McKnight L. tseff, re Chief. Chief Admi i t�rative Officer. JA/sr Encl . February 26, 1987. i MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN FEBRUARY, 1987. i Schedule A to By-law No. i MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 FORWARD 2 INTRODUCTION 3 MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP 5 MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP OPERATIONS 6 MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP RESPONSIBILITIES 7 Head of Council 8 Chief Administrative Officer 8 Senior Police Official 8 Senior Fire Official 9 Director of Public Works 9 Health Representative 10 Director of Community Services 11 ALERT PROCEDURE APPENDIX #1 REQUEST FOR PROVINCIAL ASSISTANCE APPENDIX #2 DISTRIBUTION LIST APPENDIX #3 BY-LAW APPENDIX #4 i - 2 - MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN This plan has been forumulated 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 depart- ment be prepared to carry out their assigned functions and respon- sibilities 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 provisions. Department heads should likewise review and keep up-to-date their own procedures and arrangements for responding to emergencies. Date Head of Council I i - 3 - 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 distinct 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 to an emergency. Important measures enabled under the legislation and which form part of this plan are: i (a) expenditure of monies associated with the formulation 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 exercise powers and perform the duties of the Head of Council under the emergency plan during the absence of the Head of Council or upon his inabil- ity 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. 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 responsi- bilities are retained at area municipal level with the availability of support of the regional services mentioned above. i i i 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 proce ura es and a Control Group within the Town of Newcastle to co-ordinate local response to major emergencies in order to review the situation and determine the necessity to activate the Regional Emergency Operations Control Group (REOCG) of the Regional Munici- pality 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. i 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. i 5 14a MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP 6. ) If it is determined that the situation requires the activation of the REOCG, the REOCG shall be alerted and the members of the Municipal Control Group (MCG) will assume their individual responsibilities in the REOCG' s Peacetime Emergency Plan. Emergency Operations will be directed and controlled by the elected and appointed officials listed hereunder who will assemble for this purpose at the Operations Centre, (Court/Fire Building, 2nd Floor Courtroom) . This group will be known as the Municipal Control Group (MCG) and will be composed of: (a) Head of Council or alternate (b) Chief Administrative Officer or alternate (c) Senior Police Official or alternate (d) Senior Fire Official or alternate (e) Director of Public Works or alternate (f) Health Representative or alternate (g) Director of Community Services or alternate. 7. ) Authority - The Emergency Plans Act, 1983 states a "Head of Council 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 emergency plan of the Municipality and to protect the property and the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants 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. 8. ) 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. 9. ) An emergency will usually be reported or discovered by either police or fire services who would, in any 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 control 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 . I - 6 - ul , Ll (a� MUNICIPAL CONTROL GROUP OPERATIONS 10. ) Upon assembling, the Head of Council with the advice of other members of the MCG, may make a decision to delcare an emer- gency and invoke the provisions of this emergency plan. 11 . ) General - The role of the MCG can best be accomplished by round taaU e assessment of events as they occur and by agreeing on a course of action to overcome specific problems, areas or situa- tions. Normally, an agreed course of action will be implemented by municipal departments functioning primarily within their own spheres, but co-ordinated through the MCG. 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 (Court/Fire Building) . The Fire Depart- ment 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 Administrative 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 emergency operations. RESPONSIBILITIES 14. ) Municipal Control Group - Some or all of the following actions ecisions may have to be considered and dealt with by the MCG: (a) declaring an "emergency to exist"; (b) designating any area in the municipality as an emergency area; (c) authorizing expenditures of funds for implementing the emer- gency plan; (d) "evacuating" 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; (e) "dispersing people" not directly connected with the opera- tions, who by their presence are considered to be in danger, or whose presence hinders in any way the efficient functioning of emergency operations; (f) "discontinuing utilities" or services provided by public or private concerns without reference to any consumers in the munici- pality, or when continuation of such utilities or services consti- tutes a hazard to public safety within an emergency area; (g) "arranging for accommodation and welfare" on a temporary basis, of any residents who are in need of assistance due to displacement as a result of the emergency; (h) "calling in and employment of any municipal personnel and equipment" which is required in an emergency; (i ) "arranging assistance" from senior levels of government and of other personnel and equipment of volunteer and other agencies not under municipal control as may be required by the emergency; (j ) "establishing an information centre" for issuance of accurate releases to the news media and for issuance of authoritative instructions to the general public; (k) "establishing a reporting and inquiry centre" to handle individual requests for information concerning any aspect of the emergency; and (1 ) formulating Appendix to the Plan dealing with basic support groups and vital service groups. I - s 15. ) Head of Council - or alternate will perform the following responsibilities : (a) chair meetings of the MCG; (b) declare an emergency to exist; (c) ensure the Solicitor General of Ontario has been notified or the declaration of an emergency; (d) make decisions, determine priorities and issue operational direction through the operations officer and the heads of municipal department; (e) request assistance from senior levels of government, when required; (f` approve news releases and public announcements; (g) terminate the emergency at the appropriate time and ensure all concerned have been notified. (h) establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. 16. ) Chief Administrative Officer - or alternate will act as an Operations Officer and have responsibilities as follows : i (a) organize and supervise the Operations Centre and make arrange- ments for obtaining and displaying 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) establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. 17. ) Senior Police Official - or alternate, upon learing of a potential mergency s- hould consider the possible need for activa- tion of the emergency plan and if warranted he should trigger the alert system outlined in Appendix #1 . 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; (b) appoint an on-site co-ordinator to control operations at the scene of an emergency; (c) seal off the area of concern; (d) control and if necessary, disperse crowds within the emergency area; (e) control the movement of emergency vehicles to and from the site of the emergency; (f) co-ordinate police operations with other municipal departments and arrange for additional supplies and equipment, when needed; (g) conduct evacuation of buildings or areas when ordered by the Head of Council ; (h) arrange for maintenance of law and order in temporary facili- ties;. (i ) protect property in the emergency area; (j ) arrange for additional police assistance, if required; (k) advise the Coroner in the event of fatalities and perform whatever additional responsibilities may be necessary under the Coroners Act; and (1 ) establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. C 1 (a) - 9 - 18. ) Senior Fire Official - or alternate, upon learning of a potential emergency should consider the need for possible activa- tion of the emergency plan, and if warranted, he should trigger the emergency alert system described in Appendix M . Thereupon, he . should report to the Operations Centre to sit as a member of the MCG and perform the following additional functions and respon- sibilities: (a) provide Head of Council with information and advice on fire- fighting matters ; (b) develop and maintain a system for alerting MCG members in an emergency; (c) appoint an on-site co-ordinator to control operations at the scene of an emergency; (d) inform the Durham Region Fire Co-ordinator and request mutual aid if additional manpower and equipment is needed; (e) determine if specialized equipment is needed and recommend possible sources of supply; (f) provide assistance to other municipal departments and agencies and be prepared to take charge or contribute to non-firefighting operations, if necessary; and (g) establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. 19. ) Director of Public Works - or alternate, upon learning of a potential emergency should consider the need for possible activa- tion of the emergency plan and if warranted, he should trigger the emergency 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 responsi- bilities : (a) provide Head of Council with information and advice on en- gineering matters; (b) appoint an on-site co-ordinator to control operations at the scene of an emergency; (c) maintain liaison with flood control , conservation and environ- mental agencies and be prepared to conduct relief or preventative operations; (d) provide engineer materials , supplies and equipment; (e) provide public works fleet of vehicles equipment and manpower, if requested; (f) assist traffic control , evacuations, etc. by clearing emer- gency routes, marking obstacles, providing road signs, etc. ; (g) 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; (h) make recommendations and demolish unsafe structures if ordered by the Head of Council ; (i ) re-establish essential services at the conclusion of an emergency; and (j ) establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. I - 10 20. ) Health Representative - or alternate, upon learning of a potential emergency,- should consider the need for possible activa- tion of the emergency plan and if warranted, trigger the emergency alert system described in Appendix #1 . Thereupon, he should report to the Operations Centre to act as a member of the MCG and either perform the following functions or report 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 to MCG; ii . ) arrange for dissemination of special instructions to the population on matters concerning public health; iii . ) arrange for mass immunization, where needed; iv. ) arrange for testing of water supplies and make recommenda- tions for arranging alternate supplies; v. ) notify other agencies and senior levels of government about health related matters. b. ) Mass Casualties - arrange for coping with mass casulaties through local hospital and ambulance service. These arrangements should be worked out beforehand to provide for the following activities: i ) bringing casualties to a central point for triage and after- wards arranging a balanced distribution of casualties to hospitals; ii ) provision of first aid for minor casualties who would not require transportation to a hospital . c. ) Establish and co-ordinate basic support groups. 21 . ) Director of Community Services - or alternate will fulfill social services functions and perform the following responsibili- ties and duties : (a) provide advice to the Head of Council and other members of the MCG; (b) according to the nature of the emergency, implement appro- priate aspects of a social service plan, (these should be developed beforehand with the assistance of the support group) , to provide for: (i ) reception centres, which will provide accommodation, feeding and other emergency welfare services for those who will have had to be evacuated for any reason; (ii ) distribution of clothing and other essentials to evacuees; (iii ) operation of a Reception and Inquiry system to deal with inquiries from concerned friends and relatives from within and outside the community; (iv) emergency purchases of food, supplies, etc. that cannot be obtained in any other way; (v) 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. I I I U1 , (a ) MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX #1 Alert Procedure On receipt of an official message from an authorized member of the Municipal Control Group (identified hereunder) , the Town of New- castle Fire Department will implement the procedure by telephoning members in the order stated. Fire Department Headquarters telephone number - 623-9111 . 1 . ) Head of Council , alternate 2. ) Chief Administrative Officer, alternate 3. ) Senior Police Official , or alternate 4. ) Senior Fire Official , or alternate 5. ) Director of Public Works, or alternate 6. ) Health Representative, or alternate 7. ) Director of Community Services, or alternate 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 Depart- of a change in their telephone numbers. 4. ) The Fire Department will maintain the Emergency Plan directory of Municipal Control Group members or their alternates, on an annual basis or upon notification by a member of a change. U(� (a� MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX #2 REQUEST FOR PROVINCIAL ASSISTANCE 1 . ) If available resources are insufficient to meet emergency 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 987-4060 (b) Ministry of the Environment 434-3000 (c) Ministry of Natural Resources 571-3211 (d) Ministry of Transportation/Communications 1-800-268-0637 (e) Community/Social Services 579-0622 (f) Ministry of Municipal Affairs & Housing 571-1515 (g) Medical Officer of Health 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, municipali- ties may alert the Provincial Government and obtain assistance by telephoning the Duty Officer at O.P.P. General Headquarters in Toronto, 416-965-5751 . 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 required from the Federal government, including assistance from the Canadian Armed Forces. MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN 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 Head of Council 1 Ch,,ef Administrative Officer 5 Senior Police Official 2 Senior Fire Official 5 Director of Public Works 2 Health Representative 2 Director of Community Services 2 Members of Support Group 1 each Durham Region Co-Ordinator of Emergency Planning 1 Co-Ordinator of Emergency Planning for Ontario 1 I I MUNICIPALITY OF THE TOWN OF NEWCASTLE EMERGENCY PLAN APPENDIX 04 BY-LAW NUMBER 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 or in 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 Council or 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 Control 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 . Read a first, second and third time and finally passed this day of 19 . Head of Council