Calvin’s Vulnerable Population Survey
Emergency management (EM) programs save lives, protect property, public health, and the environment, maintain economic stability, and help ensure the continuance of critical infrastructure and services. This is accomplished by preventing some emergencies before they occur, lessening the frequency and potential impact of others, preparing for, and then responding to occurrences, and by speeding the recovery process as well as trying to recover to a better standard following an event. Modern, up-to-date emergency managements programs can help build safe, secure, and resilient communities.
In Ontario, core, legislated EM programs are mandated for municipalities. Ontario requires municipalities to develop, implement, and maintain emergency management programs and adopt standards for these programs through legislation and regulation. These mandatory requirements ensure that a consistent, accountable, and robust system of emergency management is established across all jurisdictions throughout the province.
Ontario Regulation 380/04 (O. Reg. 380/04) Ontario Regulation 380/04 sets out the required elements of an emergency management program for both provincial ministries and municipalities. It sets the standards for the development, implementation, and maintenance of emergency management programs. An emergency management program must:
- Designate an emergency management program coordinator and alternate
- Complete training for the emergency management program coordinator
- Establish and conduct training for the Ministry Action Group and the Municipal Emergency Control Group
- Conduct an annual exercise for the Ministry Action Group / Municipal Emergency Control Group
- Establish an emergency management program committee
- Designate an emergency information officer
- Establish an Emergency Operations Centre
- Ensure 24/7 notification arrangements Emergency Management Framework for Ontario
- Identify and assess hazards and risks
- Identify important infrastructure
- Conduct public education
- Formulate an emergency plan
- Revise the emergency plan
- Conduct an annual review of the ministry/municipal emergency management program.
As of 2024, The Municipality of Calvin has been non-compliant with the Regulation for a few years.
On a very casual basis, in a consultancy role, Council has hired Julie Daniel as the Municipality’s Community Emergency Management Coordinator. Julie is educated in emergency management and has used the skills and knowledge she possesses by volunteering for many organizations throughout the province.
Over the past few months, with Julie’s assistance, supported by our CAO and Emergency Management Ontario Field Officers, the Municipality has been undertaking all the steps necessary to come into compliance with the Regulation. More importantly, to be prepared for the eventuality of a community wide emergency. Our core emergency management team is now in place, and we are forging ahead to be prepared!
One of the many steps involved in emergency preparedness is to identify Calvin’s vulnerable population; residents who in an emergency, may need assistance. In disaster preparedness and response, the term “vulnerable populations” is often used to characterize individuals who, because of a variety of health, social or cultural determinants, are more likely to experience a serious impact because of a large-scale community emergency incident, and who are less likely to benefit from traditional response and recovery measures and/or who may be negatively affected by traditional response and recovery measures. Circumstances that may create barriers are not limited to age; physical, mental, emotional, or cognitive status; culture; ethnicity; religion; language; citizenship; or socioeconomic status. We must have strategies in place to not only communicate with vulnerable populations during an emergency, but to better serve them during any emergency.
For this reason, we are asking residents of Calvin who consider themselves or family members residing in their households to be vulnerable, to self-identify by completing a brief, confidential survey. The results will be used solely for the Municipality’s emergency planning and response efforts. The information gathered will be held in confidence and will be protected under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
At any time, always, this survey may be dropped off at or mailed to the Municipal Office or completed on-line and forwarding it to cemc@calvintownship.ca
If you have any questions related to emergency management and preparedness, do not hesitate to reach out. You may contact Julie by email at cemc@calvintownship.ca or by requesting a call back through the municipal office at 705-744-2700.