Making Mississauga Safer: Emergency Preparedness Brings Communities Together

May 7 to 13 is Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada, and the City of Mississauga wants to remind residents about the importance of emergency planning. Mississauga has a history of widespread emergencies, including the 1979 Train Derailment, 2003 Blackout, 2016 Hickory Drive Explosion, COVID-19 and more. Emergencies don’t always come with a warning but there are ways residents can be proactive by taking concrete actions to be better protect themselves, families and pets.

Residents interested in learning more about emergency preparedness can visit the lobbies of the following local community centres from May 8 to 12 from 1-6 p.m.:

Mississauga’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) staff will be onsite to provide information about emergency preparedness. Residents can ask questions, pick up educational pamphlets and a few additional takeaways.

“Emergency preparedness is an important conversation to have with your families, neighbours and community members throughout the year. Planning and education are essential components in maintaining public safety,” says Benjamin Gallagher, Manager, Office of Emergency Management (OEM). “We encourage residents to stay connected and informed. Get to know your neighbours, exchange contact information and pay attention to those who may be vulnerable as they may require extra assistance in times of need. Emergencies are everyone’s responsibility.”

Here’s how you can get involved and help Mississauga become safer:

• Create an emergency plan with your family and/or those living with you at home. Remember to include pets or service animals in your plan.
• Consider the needs of seniors and persons with disabilities. Review Mississauga’s Emergency Preparedness for Older Adults and Persons with Disabilities. Regardless of whether or not you live with someone who may require more attention and assistance, it’s a good idea to know how to help a stranger in case of an emergency.
• Build an emergency kit. Watch our video on what to include – you may already have many of these items in your home or car! If you live with a pet or service animal, ensure you have three days worth of food and supplies for them.
• Familiarize yourself with which hazards can affect your neighbourhood so you know what to prepare for. Winter storms, floods, thunderstorms, power and telecommunication outages and infectious disease are some of the top hazards to affect the city.
• Stay informed before, during and after an emergency. Make sure you have a list of important phone numbers on standby.
• Be proactive and register people you may know with health and mobility concerns to Mississauga Fire and Emergency Services’ Vulnerable Persons Registry. This ensures that Mississauga firefighters know their needs when attending an emergency call.
• Review fire prevention tips with your family regularly throughout the seasons. For example, in the winter, you will encounter different hazards than you may in the summer.

Later this month, OEM will also be present at Toronto Pearson International Airport for an emergency training exercise with volunteers, emergency vehicles, airport equipment and personnel. OEM is involved with the airport exercise every year, along with other community partners, making this one of the many community engagement initiatives that help keep the city safe.

While many people may not want to discuss “what if” emergency scenarios, it’s important to plan ahead. Use Emergency Preparedness week to educate yourselves and others around you, including family, friends and neighbours.

For more information about emergency preparedness, read and share Mississauga’s Emergency Preparedness Guide.

Media Contact:
City of Mississauga Media Relations
media@mississauga.ca
905-615-3200, ext. 5232
TTY: 905-896-5151

Tags

• Emergency and Preparedness
• Fire and Emergency Services
• Public Safety