Schedule A to By-law 2008-40
REVISION CONTROL Date Version Comments iii
Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction... 1 2.0 Purpose... 1 3.0 Scope... 1 4.0 Legal Authority... 2 5.0 Community Background... 2 6.0 Management Program... 3 6.1 Management Planning Committee... 4 6.2 Hazard Identification Risk Assessment... 4 7.0 Response... 5 7.1 Operational Status... 5 7.2 Activation of the Plan... 5 7.3 Notification Procedures... 6 7.4 Strategic Level Response... 6 7.4.1. Operations Control Team... 6 7.4.2. Management Advisory Group... 7 7.4.3. Request for Provincial/Federal Assistance... 7 7.5 Tactical Level Response... 7 7.6 State Of Local... 7 7.6.1 Declaration of an... 7 7.6.2 Action prior to the Declaration of an... 8 7.6.3 Termination of an... 8 7.7 Facilities... 9 7.7.1 Operations Centre (EOC)... 9 7.7.2 Incident Command Post... 9 8.0 Responsibilities... 9 8.1 Operations Control Team (EOCT)... 9 iv
8.2 Individual Responsibilities of the Operations Control Team... 10 9.0 Communications... 10 9.1 Information... 11 10.0 Training and Exercises... 11 10.1 Training... 11 10.2 Exercises... 11 11.0 Plan Maintenance... 12 11.1 Plan Review... 12 11.2 Updates... 12 12.0 Glossary... 12 v
1.0 Introduction Emergencies vary in intensity and complexity depending on factors such as time of occurrence, weather conditions, severity of impact, nature of the affected infrastructure and buildings, and demographics. The City of Sault Ste. Marie Response Plan is intended to provide a framework for the prompt coordinated response of government, private and volunteer resources when an emergency overwhelms the capacity of normal operations. 2.0 Purpose The purpose of this document is to ensure a controlled, coordinated and effective response is quickly undertaken at the outset of an emergency to minimize its impact on the health, safety and welfare of the residents and visitors to the City of Sault Ste. Marie, as well as to protect the environment and economy. 3.0 Scope The City s applies to large scale emergencies that occur within the City of Sault Ste. Marie. The Management Ontario Glossary of Terms 1 defines an emergency as, A situation or an impending situation that constitutes a danger of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property and that is caused by the forces of nature, a disease or other health risk, an accident or an act whether intentional or otherwise. An emergency may last from a few hours to several days or longer and possible events for the City of Sault Ste. Marie include but are not limited to: Critical infrastructure failures Severe weather emergencies Hazardous material releases Health related emergencies Fires and/ or explosions This Plan does not replace existing operating procedures or guidelines that are used by agencies responding to an emergency. 1 Management Ontario. 2011. Glossary of Terms. http://www.emergencymanagementontario.ca/stellent/groups/public/@mcscs/@www/@emo/documents/a bstract/ec158104.pdf 1
4.0 Legal Authority The Management and Civil Protection Act, is the legal authority for all municipal emergency response plans in Ontario. The Management and Civil Protection Act states: Every municipality shall formulate an emergency response plan governing the provision of necessary service during an emergency and the procedure under the manner in which employees of the municipality and other persons will respond to the emergency and the council of the municipality shall by by-law adopt the emergency plan. Section 3 (1) Ontario Regulation 380/04 sets in place the standards for municipal emergency management programs. These standards describe minimum provisions that must be met to constitute an essential level program. In regards to having an emergency plan, Ontario Regulation 380/ 04 states: The emergency plan that a municipality is required to formulate under subsection 3(1) of the Act shall consist of an emergency response plan. An emergency response plan shall, (a) assign responsibilities to municipal employees, by position, respecting implementation of the emergency response plan, and (b) set out the procedures for notifying the members of the municipal emergency control group of the emergency. Section 15 In accordance with Section 3(1) of the Management and Civil Protection Act the City of Sault Ste. Marie has enacted By-law 2008-40: A by-law to adopt the for the protection of public safety, health, the environment, the critical infrastructure and property within the municipality. 5.0 Community Background The City of Sault Ste. Marie is located on the St. Mary s River in the Algoma District of Ontario, Canada. It is the third largest city in Northern Ontario, with a population of approximately 75,000 2. 2 Statistics Canada.. Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario (Code 3557061) and Algoma, Ontario (Code 3557) (table). Census Profile. 2011 Census. Statistics Canada Catalogue no. 98-316-XWE. Ottawa. Released May 29,. http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?lang=e 2
Total Male Female Population 2011 75,141 36,115 39,030 Median Age 45.7 44.3 46.7 % of population 15 years and under 14.2 7.3 6.9 % of population 60 years and older 26.8 12.1 14.7 Total private dwellings 33,901 --- --- Sault Ste. Marie is bordered to the east by the Rankin and Garden River First Nation reserves and to the west by Prince Township. To the north, the city is bordered by Heyden, Goulais River, Searchmont, Batchewana Bay and Pancake Bay. To the south, across the St. Mary s River is the United States of America and the city of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. These countries are joined by the International Bridge, which connects Interstate 75 on the Michigan side and Huron Street on the Ontario side. The International Bridge border crossing carries vehicular traffic between Canada and the United States of America, as well a rail bridge carries freight. On the St. Mary s River the American Soo Locks is the world s busiest canal in terms of tonnage that passes through it, while the smaller recreational boats use the Canadian Canal. 6.0 Management Program The Management Civil Protection Act states: Every municipality shall develop and implement an emergency management program The emergency management program shall consist of, (a) an emergency plan as required by section 3, (b) training programs and exercises for employees of the municipality and other persons with respect to the provision of necessary services the procedure to be followed in emergency response and recovery activities; (c) public education on risks to public safety and on public preparedness for emergencies; and (d) any other element required by the standards for emergency management programs Section 2.1 (1) As endorsed by Management Ontario, Sault Ste. Marie s emergency management program is the product of a risk management approach incorporating a full range of measures necessary to reduce priority risks including prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery measures. The goal of the City s program is to save lives, protect property, public health and the environment, and assure the continuance of critical infrastructure. 3
6.1 Management Planning Committee The City of Sault Ste. Marie Management Planning Committee is responsible for overseeing the City s emergency management program. Members of the Committee include: Fire Chief (Chair) Police Chief Manager of the Central Ambulance Communication Centre Medical Officer of Health for Algoma Public Health Chief Administrative Officer Community Management Coordinator Mayor (Ex Officio) Council Appointee (2) Sault Area Hospital Representative Commanding Officer of 49 th Field Regiment This Committee is responsible for meeting various legislated requirements annually in support of the emergency management program (refer to Appendix 14 for the Planning Committee Terms of Reference). 6.2 Hazard Identification Risk Assessment The hazard identification and risk assessment process is a tool for understanding hazards and the risks that they generate, and for comparing risk exposures from a variety of events to set priorities for planning and other emergency management activities. Hazards fall into three categories: Natural Hazards: Include events such as forest fires, severe winter weather and flooding Human Caused (accidental or intentional) Hazards: Include events such as terrorism, war and special events. Technological Hazards: Include events such as a utility failure, train derailment and hazardous material spill Sault Ste. Marie s emergency management program focuses on those events that have the greatest likelihood of occurrence and the greatest potential impact, and ensures that, wherever possible, the municipality is prepared to effectively respond to those events. 4
7.0 Response 7.1 Operational Status The City of Sault Ste. Marie operates under three levels of readiness for emergency management response. These levels are: Normal Operations Enhanced Operations Activated Normal Operations Normal operations consist of regular daily activities such as training, exercises, review of plans and procedures, and maintaining equipment to ensure a constant level of readiness should the need arise. Enhanced Operations Enhanced operations indicates there is high probability of an emergency situation, which could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property. At this level of operations members of the Operations Control Team are kept informed of the situation and any developments via phone and/or email. Select members of the Operations Control Team whose agencies are involved may convene to address the situation. Activated Activated status indicates that an emergency situation is imminent or occurring and requires the City s be activated. Members of the Operations Control Team will be required to attend the Operations Centre and members of the Planning Advisory Group may be requested to attend as well to act as subject matter experts. 7.2 Activation of the Plan The City s may be activated in whole or in part by any member of the Operations Control Team. The following may be event triggers which drive the activation of the Plan: The event requires the coordination of multiple agencies 5
The event requires centralized decision-making to mitigate impact The event requires coordinated communication and messaging The event requires a coordinated approach with other levels of government The event is outside the scope of normal operations The event requires information gathering and analysis from multiple sources The event is pre-planned and requires active management to ensure public safety 7.3 Notification Procedures Any member of the Operations Control Team may activate the notification process, in whole or in part, by informing the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service and/or Fire Services of the situation and directing that the Operations Control Team be notified to attend the Operations Centre (EOC) or to standby for further instructions. Upon being notified it is the responsibility of the Operations Control Team to notify their staff internally of the situation. Where notification of the members of the Operations Control Team is not possible due to a disruption in telephone service, the Police Service may be requested to make personal contact with them. Public media may also be used to direct members to attend the Operations Centre. 7.4 Strategic Level Response 7.4.1. Operations Control Team The Operations Control Team (EOCT) is responsible for managing and coordinating more-than-routine emergency responses. The convening of the Operations Control Team does not automatically require an emergency declaration. As well the Operations Control Team may function with only a limited number of persons depending on the emergency, while all members may not attend the Operations Centre all members must be notified. The City of Sault Ste. Marie s Operations Control Team consists of the following members: Mayor Chief Administrative Officer Police Chief Fire Chief 6
Medical Officer of Health Manager of Central Ambulance Communication Centre Sault Area Hospital representative Lieutenant Colonel, 49 th Field Regiment Community Management Coordinator 7.4.2. Management Advisory Group The Management Advisory Group consists of stakeholders within the City of Sault Ste. Marie. While not normally a part of the Operations Control Team members can be called upon to attend the Operations Centre as subject matter experts to provide knowledge and assistance (refer to Appendix 15 for more information on the Advisory Group). 7.4.3. Request for Provincial/Federal Assistance Assistance may be requested from the Province of Ontario at any time without any loss of control or authority. A request for assistance will be made by contacting Management Ontario s Duty Officer. This contact is the responsibility of the Community Management Coordinator. Management Ontario will evaluate the municipality s request and determine the availability of requested resources. Any request for federal resources must be made to Management Ontario through the same channels as described above. 7.5 Tactical Level Response The agency most directly concerned with the mitigation of the emergency will be the Lead Agency. This agency in turn designates its senior on-site official as the Incident Commander (I.C.). The Incident Commander assumes ultimate authority at the emergency site, including reporting to the Operations Centre (refer to Appendix 9 for a list of responsibilities). 7.6 State Of Local 7.6.1 Declaration of an The Management Civil Protection Act states: The head of council of a municipality may declare that an emergency exists in a municipality or in in any part thereof and may take such action and may such 7
orders as he or she considers necessary and are not contrary to law to implement the emergency plan of the municipality and to protect property and the health, safety and welfare of the inhabitants of the emergency area. Section 4 (1) The Mayor or Acting Mayor of the City of Sault Ste. Marie, as the Head of Council is responsible for declaring an emergency. This decision is made in consultation with other members of the Operations Control Team. Upon declaring an emergency, a formal written Declaration of must be submitted to Management Ontario (refer to Appendix 10 for Declaration of Form). Notification will also be made to: City Council The Public Neighbouring community officials Local Member of Provincial Parliament Local Member of Parliament Management Ontario has compiled a checklist of criteria to consider in deciding whether to declare an emergency. Areas for consideration include; government, legal, operational, economic and financial (refer to Appendix 12 for a detailed list of criteria). 7.6.2 Action prior to the Declaration of an When an emergency exists but has not yet been declared, action may be taken under the City s to protect property and the health, safety and welfare of visitors and residents of the emergency area. 7.6.3 Termination of an A declared municipal emergency may be terminated at any time by the Head of Council, Council of the municipality, or by the Premier of Ontario. A formal written Termination of a Declared must be submitted to Management Ontario (refer to Appendix 11 for Termination of Form). Notification will also be made to: City Council The Public 8
Neighbouring community officials Local Member of Provincial Parliament Local Member of Parliament 7.7 Facilities 7.7.1 Operations Centre (EOC) The Operations Centre is the central contact point for the Operations Control Team to report to and provide overall direction and support for the response. Members of the Operations Control Team will convene at the Operations Centre to: Gather and analyze information Develop a common operating picture Determine strategic priorities Acquire and deploy resources 7.7.2 Incident Command Post The Incident Command Post (ICP) is the location from which Incident Command oversees incident management. An ICP is only established when an incident occurs or is planned. There is only one ICP for each incident or event. However, this facility may change locations during the incident. The ICP will be positioned outside of the present and potential hazard zone but close enough to the incident to maintain command. It typically comprises the incident management staff, officials and responders necessary to respond to an incident. The ICP may be located in a vehicle, trailer, tent, or within a building. 8.0 Responsibilities 8.1 Operations Control Team (EOCT) As a group the Operations Control Team will provide leadership and coordination of emergency response operations, their priorities include, but are not limited to: Protecting the health and safety of the community; 9
Determining if the convening and location of the Operations Control Team is appropriate; Advising the Mayor as to whether the declaration, or termination, of an emergency is recommended; Supporting emergency operations at the site(s) by calling out and mobilizing emergency services, agencies and equipment; Arranging for services and equipment from local agencies not under community control i.e. private contractors, industry, volunteer agencies, service clubs; Notifying, requesting assistance from various levels of government; Ensuring that pertinent information regarding the emergency is promptly disseminated to the media and public; Determining if additional volunteers are required and if appeals for volunteers are warranted. 8.2 Individual Responsibilities of the Operations Control Team All members of the Operations Control Team are assigned duties they are responsible for during an emergency. The individual responsibilities are listed in Appendices 1 through 8 as listed below. Appendix 1- Head of Council Appendix 2- Chief Administrative Officer Appendix 3- Police Chief Appendix 4- Fire Chief Appendix 5- Medical Officer of Health Appendix 6- Manager of Central Ambulance Communication Centre Appendix 7- Sault Area Hospital Appendix 8- Community Management Coordinator 9.0 Communications Upon implementation of the City s, an Information Officer (EIO) will be designated as necessary. The Information Officer is responsible for: 10
Collecting and disseminating accurate and timely information within the Operations Centre Designating and working with a spokesperson to address the media Planning all media conferences and briefings Preparing and circulating media releases 9.1 Information The Operations Control Team (EOCT) will inform the public, as soon as possible, of the emergency that is occurring or imminent and advise the public of appropriate self-help actions and/or issue public warning messages. information during a severe weather emergency will be conveyed through local media (radio, television) and social media (Facebook). Warnings will also be posted on both the City of Sault Ste. Marie s and the Police Service s websites. In extreme circumstances, the municipality will consider alternate forms of delivering messages including: services drive through neighbourhoods using public alerting systems Door-to-door contact by volunteers or municipal employees Establish emergency information lines which can take large numbers of calls from the public with relevant information 10.0 Training and Exercises 10.1 Training At minimum annual training will be provided to the Operations Control Team highlighting individual roles and responsibilities during an activation of the City s. Training opportunities will also be made available for the Management Planning Committee and the Management Advisory Group. 10.2 Exercises Exercises will be conducted annually to assess operational readiness, reveal opportunities for improvements, identify resources requirements, improve agency and stakeholder coordination, clarify roles and responsibilities, and improve the overall effectiveness of the City s. 11
11.0 Plan Maintenance 11.1 Plan Review The City s is reviewed annually by the Management Planning Committee as part of their duties. 11.2 Updates The City s will be updated on an as needed basis. Generally these updates will be the result of an After Action Report following an event or exercise. Plan holders will be notified of any changes and provided an electronic copy of the updated component (refer to Appendix 13 for Plan Binder Distribution list). 12.0 Glossary Activated (operations) After Action Report Assembly Point Community Management Coordinator (CEMC) Critical Infrastructure Part of the Concept of Operations. The is activated in response to extremely hazardous conditions that are imminent or occurring. The Operations Centre may be partially or fully activated by members of the Operations Control Team. A report that documents the performance of tasks related to an emergency, exercise or planned event and, where necessary, makes recommendations for improvements. Are designated locations intended to provide a safe area for individuals to congregate while either waiting for emergency personnel to respond or to receive transport to Reception Centres and/or Group Lodging facilities The individual officially designated by a community who is responsible and accountable for the community emergency management program. The CEMC, by definition, a municipal employee as per the Municipal Act. Interdependent, interactive, interconnected networks of institutions, services, systems and processes that meet vital human needs, sustain the economy, protect public safety and security, and maintain continuity of and confidence in government. A situation or an impending situation that constitutes a danger 12
Information Officer (EIO) Management Advisory Group Management Planning Committee Management Civil Protection Act Management Ontario (EMO) Management Program Operations Centre (EOC) Operations Control Team (EOCT) Response Plan of major proportions that could result in serious harm to persons or substantial damage to property and that is caused by the forces of nature, a disease or other health risk, an accident or an act, whether intentional or otherwise. An individual responsible for acting as the primary public and media contact for emergency information requirements. An advisory group comprised of local organizations, NGOs, post-secondary institutions, local industries, and municipal and provincial governments. This group provides advice on the development, implementation and maintenance of the Community s Management Program. The critical management team that oversees the development, implementation and maintenance of the community s emergency management program. Province of Ontario legislation which requires each municipality to develop, implement and maintain mandatory management Programs in conformity with regulations developed by Management Ontario. EMO is a branch within the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services with overall provincial emergency management responsibility. EMO is responsible for the coordination, promotion, development, implementation and maintenance of effective emergency management programs throughout Ontario and for the coordination of these programs with the federal government. A comprehensive program that is based on a hazard identification and risk assessment process (HIRA) and includes the five core components of prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery The facility outside of the emergency site where the Operations Control Team assembles to manage emergency operations. A group comprised of key municipal department heads and officials who are responsible for decision-making and the provision of essential services needed to minimize the effects of an emergency on the municipality. The Chief Administrative Officer is responsible for coordinating the actions of the Group. A risk based plan developed and maintained to respond to an emergency. 13
Site The geographic area in which the management team with the most direct hands-on response roles operates. Enhanced Operations Part of the Concept of Operations. Management is alerted of a highly probable hazardous condition and engaged for full situational awareness. The Operations Control Team is notified in anticipation of the being activated. Evacuation Alert Informs the public of a potential threat or impeding danger. An Evacuation Alert allows for the population to begin an orderly preparation to leave the affected area while informing them of the hazards as well as identifying emergency zones, evacuation routes and Assembly Points. Evacuation Order The impacted population is ordered to evacuate the area specified immediately. All persons in the affected area are to be told that, in the interest of their own safety and considering the risk, they are now ordered to leave the area. Exercise A simulated drill or sequence of events to evaluate plans and procedures. There are four main types of exercises (drill, tabletop, functional, full-scale) and various sub-types. An exercise is a simulated situation requiring them to function in a real event. Hazard (1) A risk that is a threat (2) An event or physical condition that has the potential to cause fatalities, injuries, property damage, infrastructure damage, agricultural loss, damage to the environment, interruption of business, or other types of harm or loss Hazardous Materials Substances which can cause death or injury to humans, shortterm or irreparable damage to the environment, or result in property damage or evacuation if released into the environment. Incident Commander/ Site Manager (IC) Incident Command Post (ICP) The entity/individual responsible for all incident activities, including the development of strategies and tactics and the ordering and the release of resources. The IC has overall authority and responsibility for conducting incident operations and is responsible for the management of all incident operations The location from which Incident Command oversees incident management. There is only one ICP for each incident or event. However, this facility may change locations during the incident. The ICP will be positioned outside of the present and potential hazard zone but close enough to the incident to maintain command. The ICP may be located in a vehicle, trailer, tent, or within a building. 14
Lead Agency Mitigation Municipality Normal Operations Preparedness Prevention Provincial Operations Centre (PEOC) Reception Centre Recovery Response Risk Assessment The agency most directly concerned with the mitigation of the emergency, which will in turn designate an Incident Commander at the site of the emergency. Actions taken to reduce the effects of an emergency or disaster. Means a geographic area whose inhabitants are incorporated Part of the Concept of Operations. Consists of the daily responsibilities that agencies must carry out to ensure readiness in the event of an emergency situation. This includes preparedness, training, exercise activities, review of departmental response plans and equipment checks to ensure a continuous state of readiness should the need arise. Actions taken prior to an emergency or disaster to ensure an effective response. These actions include the formulation of an emergency response plan, training, exercises, and public awareness and education. Actions taken to prevent an emergency or disaster. The fully equipped facility maintained by Management Ontario that can be activated in response to or in anticipation of emergencies. The PEOC is staffed with appropriate representatives from ministries that have been delegated responsibilities for those emergencies as well as EMO staff. It serves as an initial point-of-contact for the affected municipality and federal interests. Usually located outside the impact zone of the emergency, the reception centre is a place where evacuees can go to register, receive assistance for basic needs, information and referral to a shelter if required Actions taken to recover from an emergency or disaster. Actions taken to respond to an emergency or disaster. Identification of risks to public safety, public health, the environment, property, critical infrastructure and economic stability from natural, human-caused and technological sources/activities, and evaluation of the importance of the activity to the continued operation of the community. The vulnerability of the community to each activity should also be evaluated. 15