Town of Hantsport

Emergency Preparedness Basic Plan

The following are excerpts from the Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport Emergency Response Plan.

General

Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport recognizes its responsibility to plan for peace time emergencies that may endanger lives, property or the environment. The communities must be prepared, to the extent of our resources, to meet any threat that may arise, such as emergencies or disasters. Mutual aid agreements have been negotiated with the: Municipality of Chester, Municipality of the County of Kings, and the Municipality of the District of East Hants.

Definitions

Emergency means a present or imminent event in respect of which the municipalities believe prompt co-ordination of action or regulation of persons or property must be undertaken to protect property or the health, safety or welfare of the people of Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport.
Disaster - a real or anticipated occurrence such as disease, pestilence, fire, flood, tempest, explosion, enemy attack, sabotage, or release of any commodity which endangers health, safety and the welfare of the population, property or the environment.
Emergency Management Plan - any plan, program of procedure prepared by Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport which aims (1) to mitigate the effects of an emergency or disaster, and (2) to safeguard the health or welfare of the population and to protect property and the environment, in the event of an emergency or disaster.

Direction of Control

The Mayor of Hantsport, and/or the Warden of the Municipality of the District of West Hants and /or  the Mayor of the Town of Windsor, or their respective deputies are ultimately responsible for the control of all the operations mentioned in this plan.

Implementation

In Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport day to day incidents are handled by either Fire, Police, or Health services.  If the size, potential hazard, or seriousness of the emergency or disaster appears beyond the capacity or responsibility of the responding agency, then the responding agency may request the activation of the emergency plan.  It is intended that the Municipal unit in which the event first occurs, will be contacted.  The plan may be implemented in full or in part.  Upon activation of the emergency plan, the Emergency Operations Centre Director will appoint an agency to manage the emergency site(s), based on the agency that is most likely to have the greatest involvement or legal responsibility on the handling  of the emergency or disaster.  If the magnitude of the emergency or disaster requires actions beyond normal procedures, then the Emergency Operations Group may advise the Mayor/Warden, or alternates, that a state of local emergency should be declared in accordance with the State of Emergency Regulations made pursuant to the "Emergency Management Act of Nova Scotia."  If the implementation of all actions contained in Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport emergency plan is insufficient to control the emergency or disaster, assistance may be requested from the Provincial Emergency Management Organization, the request is to be made through the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Organization, Western Zone Controller.
 

Call to Action

Should an event occur which in the opinion of the Senior Officer present, presents a risk to all or part of a community they shall alert the Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport Emergency Management Organization by initiating the call out procedure.  Executive and Senior Administrative staff members contacted will decide on level of call out procedure, depending on nature and extent of emergency.  After initial contact has been made the member is to proceed to the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), unless otherwise instructed, and initiate the Standing Operating Procedure (SOP) for their agency.
If a designated individual on the "Call To Action" chart cannot be reached, the caller must inform the EOC Director upon arrival at the EOC.  For each position on the chart the incumbent, their alternate and their current phone number are to be listed on the Emergency Phone Numbers List.

Stages of Alert

If it is officially decided that the incident should be handled through the EOC, then one of two stages of alert are adopted.
Full Alert:- All personnel are notified of the emergency via the Call To Action chart;
Partial Alert:- Only personnel required to handle the incident are called to the EOC. Others may be placed on standby.
Once alerted, the Heads of Services meant to be at the EOC must go there immediately and report to the Director or Deputy Director.  Heads of Services whose place of duty lies elsewhere must send a representative to the EOC. The representative then reports to the Director or Deputy Director.

Emergency Operations Center (EOC)

All disaster/emergency operations will be controlled and coordinated from the EOC, in one of the following locations:    
   W. B. Stephens Building (upper level - Fire Dept. Board Room)
   100 King Street
   Windsor, NS
 
   West Hants Municipal complex (lower level)
   76 Morison Drive
   Windsor, NS

   Hantsport Town Hall  (lower level)
   20 Main Street
   Hantsport, NS

Emergency Operations Control Group

The Emergency Operations Control Group for Windsor/West Hants/Hantsport shall be formed by the following personnel or their alternates.

Town Administrator/ Municipal Clerk
Emergency Management Coordinator
Director of Community Services
Director of Public Works
Public Information Officer
Communications Officer
Transportation Officer
Medical Health Officer
Police Officer
Fire Officer

The Emergency Operations Control Group will assemble at the Emergency Operations Centre at one of the addresses listed above.  The Director for the Emergency Operation Centre during an emergency or disaster will be the Town Administrator/Municipal Clerk or their alternates.
 
Environment of Canada - Windsor (http://weatheroffice.gc.ca/city/pages/ns-15_metric_e.html)