REPORT TO GENERAL COMMITTEE

 

 

 

 

 

TO:

Mayor and Members of Council

 

 

 

 

FROM:

Shayne Mintz, Deputy Fire Chief and Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator (CEMC)

 

 

 

 

PREPARED BY:

same as above

 

 

 

 

DATE:

2005-May 2

 

 

 

 

SUBJECT:

Methods of Informing Residents of an Emergency

 

 

 

 

 

RECOMMENDATION:

THAT this report be received for information;  

 

AND THAT the use of available Town signage to inform residents of an emergency be implemented as soon as possible;

 

AND THAT a further report be brought forward from the CIO on the acquisition and implementation of a public mass notification system.

 

 

PURPOSE:

The purpose of this report is to provide follow-up on the best means of informing residents in the event of an emergency.

 

 

BACKGROUND:

At the November 30, 2004, meeting Council directed staff to research methods of notifying the public of an emergency.

 

 

OPTIONS/DISCUSSION: 

The Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator (CEMC) has met with staff in the Asset Management and Recreation and Culture departments and has identified ways of using Town- owned programmable message signs.

 

The Town currently has two types of message signs, stationary marquee signs and electronically programmable scrolling signs. Both can be used to communicate emergency messages. There are messaging limitations with the marquee signs as they vary in size and message capability.  The electronically programmable signs have unlimited message capabilities as messages are input using a standard PC.

 

A process would be developed so messages are created and forwarded to the Manager, Community Centre Operations, who would ensure they are posted on the signage.  As identified under the Emergency Management Program, it was determined that Corporate Communications would be responsible for writing the messages to be placed on the signs.  The process of providing messaging through Town-owned signage could be in place by June of this year.

 

Currently programmable signs are located at Markham Theatre, Thornhill CC, Milliken Mills CC, Angus Glen CC, Markham Village CC and Centennial CC.  Stationary marquee signs are located at Thornhill CC, Clatworthy CC, Mount Joy CC and Fire Stations 91, 92, 94, 95 and 96.

 

These signs would function well in communicating emergency messages; however, if there were any interruption in power supply the programmable signs would not function.   Backup power provisions do not currently exist for the signs.

 

There have also been several meetings and presentations arranged by the CEMC with the Chief Information Officer (CIO), IT Lead Telephony and vendors of mass communications products and services.  There are several solutions available for mass notification to the public during an emergency; however, to date none have been found to meet our needs.

 

It is recommended that a follow-up report from the CIO regarding the acquisition and implementation of a public mass notification system be made when a suitable system is found.

 

 

 

 

 

 

____________________________________                                                                                   

Shayne Mintz, Deputy Fire Chief                                               Jim Sales, Commissioner,

                                                                                                Community & Fire Services

 

 

 

                                               

____________________________________

James Allen, CIO, Information Technology

 

 

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