Evacuations and Shelter-in-Place

Due to different circumstances, the evacuation of people and animals may be sudden with little advance notice.

Before an evacuation

• Preparedness is key, planning for the possibility of an evacuation begins at home:
  • Prepare an emergency kit for your household
  • Make an emergency plan for your household
• Be aware
• Listen to the local media
• Sign up for emergency alerts 
  
• Tune in to this website, Facebook or Twitter
• Arrange with neighbours to tell one another of an emergency notification
• Know the risks

Evacuation alert 

A risk is present in the region. Remaining in the area may become more dangerous. The notice provides time for high-risk populations to evacuate and allows people to choose between evacuating or remaining in the area.

Evacuation order

For your safety, immediately evacuate an impacted area(s). Emergency responders may not be able to help you if you choose to stay.

Three stages of an evacuation

When ordered to evacuate

• Take your emergency kit with you
• Follow the instructions of local emergency officials
• Do not remain in areas under evacuation order
• Each family member should have waterproof clothing and footwear
• Remember your neighbours, particularly those who may be vulnerable and need additional assistance 
• Turn off the main breaker or switch off the circuit breaker panel or power supply box
• Turn off the water main where it enters your home
  • Protect the valve, inlet pipe, and meter or pump with blankets or insulation material
• Drain water from your plumbing system when possible
• Leave a note for your family members 
• Secure your home (lock windows and doors)
• Follow designated evacuation routes
• If you need to register, or require supports (shelter, food, water) visit an Emergency Social Services Site 

Shelter-in-place

“Shelter-in-place” refers to remaining inside your home, school, or place of work during certain emergencies.

Based on the circumstances, emergency officials will let residents know if shelter-in-place is appropriate, or if an evacuation is required.

• Listen to local media
  • Sign up for Emergency Alerts 
    
  • Tune in to this website, Facebook or Twitter

When instructed to shelter-in-place

• Go indoors immediately and stay there
• Use stairwells instead of elevators, whenever possible
• Close and lock all windows and doors
• Turn off furnaces, hot water heaters, ventilation and air conditioners
• Do not operate kitchen or bathroom vents, clothes dryers or other appliances that may allow exterior air into your home
• Do not use fireplaces – close all dampers
• Choose an inside room as a safe room
• Seal cracks or openings around the safe room's doorway with wide tape and a rolled-up damp towel at the base of the door
  • Tape plastic sheets over windows when possible
• Monitor local media outlets for updates
• Wait for the all-clear announcement

All-clear announcement

An all-clear announcement will be made via media outlets and/or emergency responders who may come door-to-door.  An all-clear will only be made if the danger has passed and there is no longer a risk to human life.

Emergency officials will continue to monitor the events after the danger has passed. There is always a chance that a hazard may return and individuals will be directed to shelter-in-place again. They may also issue an evacuation alert or evacuation order depending on the circumstance. 

What to do after an evacuation

• You may be instructed to ventilate your home
• Open all windows and doors
• Turn on all furnaces, hot water heaters, ventilation, and air conditioning systems
• Once the home is properly ventilated, all systems can be returned to their normal settings