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CORPORATION OF THE TOWN OF THESSALON
DISTRICT OF ALGOMA
EMERGENCY RESPONSE PLAN A
Updated - November 2024
CorporaƟon of the Town of Thessalon
187 Main Street, P.O. Box 220
Thessalon, ON. P0R 1L0
705-842-2217
www.thessalon.ca
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Revision Dates:
o November 1983
o February 2003
o December 2004
o November 2006
o November 2007
o November 2008
o November 2009
o September 2011
o November 2013
o April 2014
o November 2015
o May 25, 2017
o November 18, 2017
o October 20, 2021
o November 20, 2023
o November, 18, 2024
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Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 4
Mission Statement ........................................................................................................................................ 5
Authority ....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Declaration of Emergency ......................................................................................................................... 6
Scope ............................................................................................................................................................. 7
Emergency Levels .......................................................................................................................................... 8
LEVEL 1 ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
LEVEL 2 ...................................................................................................................................................... 8
LEVEL 3 ...................................................................................................................................................... 9
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA) ..................................................................................... 10
Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) ....................................................................... 11
CEMC Role: .............................................................................................................................................. 11
Emergency Management Program Committee .......................................................................................... 12
Emergency Response Plan .......................................................................................................................... 13
Amendments ............................................................................................................................................... 13
Emergency Operations Centre .................................................................................................................... 13
EOC Equipment List ................................................................................................................................. 13
Municipal Emergency Control Group ......................................................................................................... 14
Ontario Provincial Police Role ..................................................................................................................... 15
Critical Infrastructure .................................................................................................................................. 15
Training ....................................................................................................................................................... 15
Exercises ...................................................................................................................................................... 16
Emergency Information Officer (EIO) ......................................................................................................... 16
Alert Ready .............................................................................................................................................. 17
Public Awareness Program ......................................................................................................................... 17
Annual Review ............................................................................................................................................ 17
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IntroducƟon
The Town of Thessalon, population 1,206*, is situated on the north shore of the North
Channel of Lake Huron on Highway 17, 80 kilometers east of the City of Sault Ste.
Marie and 53 kilometers west of Blind River. Highway 129 leads from Thessalon, north
to the Town of Chapleau, a distance of 232 kilometers.
The Huron Central Railway Inc. passes within 1.6 kilometers north of the Town, with
the bed of the spur into the town owned by The Corporation of the Town of Thessalon.
The Thessalon River as it flows into the North Channel bisects the town.
The community depends largely on lumbering operations for its livelihood. The tourist
industry adds to the local economy. A saw mill and plywood factory, located in the
nearby Municipality of Huron Shores and a veneer mill in the Town of Thessalon are
of economic importance to the area, together with a deep-water harbour that
presently services the Smelter Bay Aggregate loading facilities.
Electrical power is supplied and distributed by Hydro One Networks Inc.
Communications are by telephone through the Bell Canada system.
The Thessalon Hospital, consisting of 6-bed inpatient, 2-bed observation and an
emergency department, is administered by the Blind River District Health Centre.
This hospital is community sponsored and operated by the North Shore Health
Network.
The Algoma Manor became the Algoma Manor Nursing Home on November 1, 2011,
with provisions for 96 residents plus staff. It is linked to the former Algoma Manor
building which houses the hospital, North Channel Nurse Practitioner Led Clinic and
West Wind Shores assisted living with 33 units.
The Medical Building provides offices for physicians, physiotherapy, dentists as well
as a chiropractor.
*2021, StaƟsƟcs Canada Census
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Mission Statement
Emergencies are defined as situations or impending situations caused by
forces of nature, accident or an intentional act that constitutes a danger of
major proportions to life and property. They affect public safety, meaning the
health, welfare and property as well as the environment and economic health
of the Town of Thessalon.
The aim of this plan is to make provision for the extraordinary arrangements
and measures that may have to be taken to protect the public safety of the
residents, businesses and visitors of the Town of Thessalon.
This plan enables a centralized controlled and coordinated response by a
number of agencies under the direction of the Community Control Group to
emergencies in the Town of Thessalon. These emergency arrangements and
procedures are distinct from the normal, day to day operations carried out by
emergency services. This plan meets the legislated requirements of the
Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act.
The Emergency Management Program Committee chaired by the Mayor
oversees the development of this plan within the context of the Emergency
Management Program for the Town of Thessalon. Every official, municipal
department and agency is prepared to carry out assigned responsibilities in
an emergency. The response plan has been prepared to provide key officials,
agencies and departments of the Town of Thessalon important emergency
response information related to:
- Arrangements, services and equipment; and
- Roles and responsibilities during an emergency.
Aircraft equipped with floats can land on nearby water. The nearest airport
for large aircraft is at Sault Ste. Marie, 62 miles west.
It is important that residents, businesses and interested visitors be aware of
the provisions contained in the emergency response plan. Copies of the Town
of Thessalon Emergency Response plan may be viewed at the Municipal Office.
For more information contact:
Community Emergency Management Coordinator,
Lindsay MacFarlane
Phone: (705) 842-2217
187 Main Street
Fax: (705) 842-2572
Thessalon, ON
Email : [email protected]
P0R 1L0
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Authority
The Emergency Management & Civil Protection Act, RSO, 1990, as amended
(EMCPA) is the legal authority for this emergency response plan.
The EMCPA states that:
"Every municipality shall formulate an emergency plan governing the
provision of necessary services during an emergency and the procedures
under and 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)
DeclaraƟon of Emergency
The EMCPA gives authority to the Head of Council to Declare both the
existence and or the termination of an Emergency.
The EMCPA states that:
"The head of Council of a municipality may declare that an emergency exists
in the municipality or in any part thereof and may take such action and make
such 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 head of council or the council of a municipality may at any time declare
that an emergency has terminated." Section 4(2)
As enabled by the Emergency Management & Civil Protection Act, RSO, 1990,
as amended, this emergency response plan and its elements have been:
- Issued under the authority of the Town of Thessalon By-Law #1448;
and
- Filed with Emergency Management Ontario, Ministry of Community
Safety and Correctional Services.
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Scope
An emergency may last from a few hours to several days or longer and
possible events for the Town of Thessalon include but are not limited to:
- Health -related emergencies
- Critical infrastructure failures
- Severe weather emergencies
- Fires and/ or explosions
- Transportation emergencies
- Cyber Attack
- Electrical Energy
- Chemical Release (i.e. Oil Spill)
This Plan does not replace existing operating procedures or guidelines that
are used by agencies responding to an emergency
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Emergency Levels
Three levels will be used as designations of an emergency.
Three levels will be used as designations of an emergency. Level I involve an
emergency with a predictable duration at a single site and only one agency
such as the police department will be involved. A Level II emergency has an
unpredictable duration and a response from many agencies. Level III is a
widespread emergency that has a large impact on the town with the possibility
of long-term negative effects.
NOTE: If any incident so designated above requires the involvement of
volunteers or if there is the potential for the incident to outstrip the response
capability of the Town of Thessalon, then a formal declaration of an emergency
consistent with the requirements of the Emergency Management & Civil
Protection Act of the province will occur.
LEVEL 1
Definition:
This is an unplanned event that has the potential of
threatening life, health, or property within a single area. A
single agency such as the police, fire, public works is all that
is needed.
Criteria:
- Short term evacuation and only for a small, localized area
- Incident lasts for a duration of two hours maximum
- Procedures are established to protect occupants, evacuees, and
property
- Medical needs are planned for
- Command post is established
- A written report, covering as a minimum damage estimate, injury
report, and the agencies involved is prepared
Examples:
A structural fire to a building, a chemical spill involving a
disruption of services and a hazardous-materials response,
a water main break which threatens critical services, power
outage affecting critical infrastructure, an odor that
requires evacuation.
LEVEL 2
Definition:
An unplanned event that may be harmful to life, health, or
property on a large scale. To control the situation, a
broad-based agency response including police, and/or the
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fire department as a minimum, will be needed. Effects of
this disaster may be long term.
Criteria:
- Same as Level I with the exception that the duration could easily
exceed two hours.
Examples:
A water main break that involves several buildings and
business, loss of heat or power to multiple buildings, a fire
affecting a large residential area, a chemical release causing
evacuation, or large-scale civil unrest.
LEVEL 3
Definition:
This is an incident that impacts or threatens life, health or
property on a large scale. Control of this incident will
require numerous agencies and could very quickly exceed
the capacity of the response resources in the Town of
Thessalon. Long term affect is expected.
Criteria:
- Serious hazard to life, health and property
- Major evacuation and relocation required
- Duration of the incident is unpredictable
- Command post is established
- Medical needs are planned for
- Communications centre established
- Recovery plan established
- Written report is prepared
Examples:
Natural disasters, large scale chemical release, major
power outage, building collapse.
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Hazard IdenƟficaƟon and Risk Assessment (HIRA)
The Town of Thessalon has completed a HIRA which indicates that the most
likely Level III emergencies will be in the form of severe weather, specifically
snowstorms/blizzards and ice/sleet storms with the possible consequence of
power outages for an undetermined length of time. These have occurred in
recent memory and are likely to occur again. This is reviewed annually.
There is also the potential for a transportation incident on Highway 17
involving hazardous materials, that could, depending on wind direction,
impact on the Town of Thessalon and/or present a threat to the environment
associated with the Thessalon River.
Highway 17 also presents the potential for incidents involving multiple people
being carried in buses that could tax the response capabilities of the Town of
Thessalon.
The HIRA process requires the involvement of the Community Emergency
Management Coordinator and the Emergency Management Program
Committee of the Town of Thessalon. The identification of possible hazards
and risks is based on the 38 hazards listed in Emergency Management
Ontario's Provincial Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment.
The local knowledge present among the people involved with the HIRA process
for the Town of Thessalon enables realistic assessment of the possible
consequences and establishment of risk-based emergency management
program priorities. These risk management program actions address
prevention/mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery.
This Emergency Response Plan is designed so emergencies will be dealt with
as quickly as possible in a logical and coherent manner. This is a framework
that will allow an immediate response to an emergency without hindering the
initial response or requiring policy decisions to be made first.
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Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC)
The primary (or alternate) emergency operations and communications centre
to enable the Community Control Group (CCG) to function in an emergency
will be established and activated under the supervision of the Clerk-Treasurer.
The reporting of all emergency situations, including information from the
incident, will be made to the location of the Community Control Group.
After receiving the initial information pertaining to the emergency, the
Community Emergency Management Coordinator will make a decision about
the response and category of the situation (Level I, II or III). The Emergency
Response Coordinator will then notify the Community Control Group and begin
staging for the emergency.
CEMC Role:
- To act as a liaison and contact person with Emergency Management
Ontario (EMO) for the Town of Thessalon during the emergency
response.
- To serve as Chair of the Community Control Group and ensure the
necessary and appropriate resources are available to the CCG.
- To act as a liaison and contact person for the Town of Thessalon during
the emergency response.
- To manage the Community Operations Centre during an incident, clean-
up and restoration.
- To coordinate all activities of response and recovery.
- To ensure that the Communications Centre is operational and can serve
as the focal point for routine communications during all phases of an
incident, including provision for emergency power.
- To maintain continuous contact with the Communications Centre and the
Community Control Group.
- To establish and staff a media centre separate from the Emergency
Operations and Communications Centres.
- To ensure briefings are prepared and presented to Town Council, media
and Emergency Management Ontario
- To assemble damage assessments and coordinate a plan for recovery.
- To manage the Emergency Response Centre during recovery operation.
- To ensure that the incident is properly documented.
- To ensure that the required de-briefings are held with an appropriate
time period.
- To review and update the Emergency Response Plan and Emergency
Management Programs as required.
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Emergency Management Program Commitee
The Emergency Management Program Committee (EMPC) is the critical
management team to oversee the development, implementation and
maintenance of a risk-based emergency management program at the
community level.
The basic tasks of this committee are to:
- Review the Emergency Response Plans of the committee members,
associated agencies, and mutual aid agreements.
- Identify gaps in existing plans and/or agreements.
- Match tasks to the appropriate participant.
- Make necessary improvements to existing plans, integrating them into
a Community Emergency Response Plan and gaining committee
agreement.
-
Commit the integrated plan to writing and secure approval from Town
Council.
Permanent/Core Members of the EMPC are:
- Head of Council (Mayor) or alternate
- Clerk-Treasurer
- Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) or alternate
- Public Works Superintendent
- Fire Chief
Additional personal/community stakeholders may be invited to committee
meetings such as OPP, EMS, Social Service Industries, Critical Infrastructure
representatives, etc.
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Emergency Response Plan
This Emergency Response Plan is designed so emergencies will be dealt with
as quickly as possible in a logical and coherent manner. This is a framework
that will allow an immediate response to an emergency without hindering
the initial response or requiring policy decisions to be made first.
The core components of this plan address:
- Notification procedures for conveying the Community Control Group
- Requesting assistance
- Declaring or terminating an emergency
- The composition and functioning of the Community Control Group
including its operations cycle
- The incident management system
- Physical space, security and staffing requirements for the operations
centre
- Telecommunications
- Emergency Information function and process
- Internal and external resource directory
- The need for special arrangements as required
- Appropriate distribution
Amendments
It will be the duty of the Community Emergency Management Coordinator
(CEMC) to update the Emergency Response Plan by December 31st of each
year. The Emergency Management Program Committee (EMPC) will then
review and recommend approval and the Mayor will then provide final approval
of the revisions and have the plan dated. This is to ensure that the residents
of Thessalon will be protected during emergency situations.
Emergency OperaƟons Centre
The Emergency Response Plan designates the physical space (primary and
alternate) established to facilitate the Community Control Group to support
the incident management system as appropriate for the circumstances of an
emergency incident.
The physical and human resources needed to enable the Emergency Control
Group to function as per the plan are identified and sourced.
EOC Equipment List
EOC Equipment List Equipment available at each of the EOC's are as follows:
Emergency Operations Centre for the Municipality of Thessalon
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- MECG envelope containing: room ID card, pad of paper, pens, pencils,
folders, paper clips, and Activity Log forms
- Cots with blankets and pillows
- Phones/Two Way Radios
- Flip chart/ White boards
- 72 hour kit
- Personal hygiene kits
Municipal Emergency Control Group
This group of officials is responsible for providing the essential services needed
to minimize the effects of the emergency on the Town of Thessalon.
There is an established procedure to notify and activate this group and
operations responsibilities and procedures to maximize the efficiency of this
group.
The persons from time to time holding the following positions in the
municipality, or their designates, shall be members of the Municipal
Emergency Control Group (ECG):
- Head of Council (Mayor) or alternate
- Clerk-Treasurer
- Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) or alternate
- Public Works Superintendent
- Fire Chief
Additional personnel/stakeholders that may be invited to meetings of the
Emergency Control Group may include but not limited to:
- Hazard Plan Liaison(s)
- Emergency Management Ontario Representative
- Ontario Provincial Police Representative
- Medical Officer of Health, or alternate
- Social Services Director, or alternate
- Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Director, or alternate
- Office of the Fire Marshal
- Algoma District School Board representative
- Local electrical utility representative, or alternate, if required or
available
- Representatives of local industrial and retail businesses
- Volunteer organizations
- Liaison staff from provincial ministries
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- Any other officials, experts or representatives from the public or private
sector as deemed necessary by the Community Control Group.
There is an established procedure to notify and activate this group and
operations responsibilities and procedures to maximize the efficiency of this
group.
Ontario Provincial Police Role
In accordance with the Community Safety and Policing Act and standards set out in
the regulations, and with the requirements of the Canadian Charter of Rights and
Freedoms and the Human Rights Code. The OPP is responsible for:
1. Crime prevention.
2. Law enforcement.
3. Maintaining the public peace.
4. Emergency response.
5. Assistance to victims of crime.
6. Any other prescribed policing functions.
CriƟcal Infrastructure
The identification of critical infrastructure addresses essential facilities,
equipment, and systems necessary to preserve:
- Public health and safety
- Responders' health and safety
- Public services
- Energy Systems
- Local Economy
- Community Obligations
Training
The training plan to support the emergency response capability of the Town of
Thessalon and to develop emergency management program expertise is
designed to ensure that in an actual emergency, the participants know their
roles and responsibilities. The goals of this training plan are to:
- Confirm Control Group roles and responsibilities with a priority on those
new members of the Control Group
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- Continue to develop the skills of operational staff required to set up,
maintain, and operate the Emergency
Exercises
An annual exercise is conducted to evaluate the approved Emergency
Response Plan for the Town of Thessalon. The exercise schedule over a defined
time period is designed to follow a logical progression from individual
elements, to integrated elements to the entire plan.
A key feature of this schedule is the requirement for the Community Control
Group to assemble at least once a year as participants in the process of
testing/evaluating the Emergency Response Plan.
Exercising the plan also requires, as necessary, updating/improving the plan
as a result of the lessons learned from the test/exercises.
Emergency InformaƟon Officer (EIO)
During an emergency, the provision of timely, accurate information to the
public and participating agencies is absolutely essential. It is also essential
that this information is delivered by a creditable and authorized source. From
the perspective of the Community Control Group, managing an emergency is
managing information.
The needs of the media and their key role in the communications process is
understood and incorporated into the emergency information component of
the Emergency Response Plan.
The responsibilities to assemble and verify this type of information are
assigned within the Emergency Response Plan as is the responsibility and
authority to deliver/present the information.
Responsibilities of the Emergency Information Officer include but not limited
to:
- Preparing major announcements and media releases in consultation
with the Emergency Control Group
- Ensuring news reports of the current situation is up to date and accurate
and respond to misinformation.
- Apprise the Emergency Control Group of any significant information
received from members of the public, the media and other EIOs.
- Maintain a log of all actions taken
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Alert Ready
Alert Ready is designed to deliver critical geographically specific alerts through
television and radio. The Alert Ready system is developed in partnership with
federal,
provincial
and
territorial
emergency
management
officials,
Environment and Climate Change Canada, The Weather Network and the
broadcast industry. For additional information on visit www.alertready.ca
Public Awareness Program
The thrust of this component of the Emergency Response Plan is to create an
ongoing program directed at media and the public. The goals are to:
- Create awareness of the existence of the Emergency Response Plan
- Inform of the acquisition by the Community Control Group and
administrative staff of operational skills and practice with the plan
- Inform of the ongoing development of skills by emergency services and
associated agencies with responsibilities within the Town of Thessalon
Emergency Response Plan
- Educate the residents of Thessalon to prepare at an individual level
emphasizing on individual preparedness for 72 hours.
Annual Review
There are provisions for the Emergency Management Program Committee to
review annually both the Emergency Response Plan and the overall Emergency
Management Program.
Any and all aspects of change with the potential to impact on the Emergency
Response Plan, especially critical infrastructure, are constantly being
evaluated as key personnel become aware of the change. Changes could
include but not be limited to:
- Regulations
- Appearance of new hazards or medication of existing
- External and internal resources
- Organizational structure of agencies with roles in the Emergency
Response Plan
- Infrastructure
- Funding or budgets
- Technology