Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Ready: a plan for all seasons

What was Toronto’s worst storm? The 1999 snowstorm that buried the city under 118 cm of snow? The flood of July 2013 that saw snakes on the GO train? No, it was Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

Flooding in the region was intense. Highway 400 was under three meters of water by the Holland Marsh; the Humber River overflowed its banks; and thousands were left homeless. The GTA is considerably more densely populated now than it was 65 years ago, and property owners and managers have a responsibility to be prepared for similar (hopefully not so substantial) events.

Whether it’s a significant weather event, or something as minor as several flooded bathrooms, every building or building complex needs a comprehensive emergency response plan (ERP). Key considerations for the development of an effective ERP Include:

Property managers and the Board of Directors will need to work closely ERP development
A good ERP is a living document that is regularly reviewed
Tasks and responsibilities should be clearly defined
Details matter: contact lists, building plans, key numbers

[*]What we’ve seen is that property managers have multiple roles in emergency preparedness,” says Ermidio Alves, President of Coldwell Banker Real Estate Management Leaders. “Managers need to ensure there is an overall building-wide plan and all that goes along with that, but they also need to ensure that residents are part of the plan, both in individual units and as wardens.”

If you need help developing a plan for your building(s) contact us and we’ll help develop a customized plan based on our experience.

Resources

The Canadian government has a resource-filled website with tips and ideas for emergency preparedness. It covers topics related to the most common Canadian emergencies: power outages and floods. www.getprepared.gc.ca

Similarly, the Ontario government has lots of practical ideas for a wide variety of potential emergencies. Through this page you can also learn about disaster relief assistance. www.ontario.ca/page/emergency-preparedness

Insurance information is available through the Insurance Bureau of Canada at www.ibc.ca

Emergency Preparedness

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