City of St. Thomas

During an emergency in St. Thomas, be sure to check the City's website, Facebook, and Instagram for regular updates, and stay tuned to local news channels.

Be sure to keep a portable, battery-operated or crank radio in your emergency kit in case of power outages.

ALERT READY IN ONTARIO

Alert Ready in Ontario is part of a national service designed to deliver Canada's critical and potentially life-saving emergency alert message. 

In the event of a large-scale emergency in the City, St. Thomas will active its Emergency Response Plan.

The plan outlines the methods in which the City will  mobilize its resources during a crisis, ensuring all City organizations, departments, and emergency response services are aware of their respective roles and responsibilities.

Per the plan, the City completes annual reviews of its Emergency Operations Center (EOC) to ensure St. Thomas is ready to respond swiftly and effectively to emergencies or disasters.

In the event of an emergency, you may be asked to shelter in place (stay put) or evacuate (flee). Authorities will advise you on which course of action to take. You will not be asked to leave your home unless they have reason to believe you may be in danger.

SHELTER IN PLACE 

If you are asked to shelter in place:

• Ensure everyone in your household, including pets, remain indoors
• Close all windows and doors
• Shut the air conditioning units
• Block off all vents with aluminum foil and duct tape
• Await further directions via local radio/news sources and/or emergency services

To prepare for the event where you are asked to shelter in place, ensure you have your emergency kit ready.


EVACUATING

If you are asked to evacuate your home:

• Follow the directions of emergency personnel
• Let someone know that you've left and where you can be found
• Turn off your lights and appliances (except your refrigerator and freezer)
• Turn off or reduce your heat or air conditioning 
• Lock your doors

WHAT TO BRING DURING AN EVACUATION

Remember to bring the following with you, if it is safe to do so:

• Your evacuation kit
• Cell phone, laptop, tablet, chargers, and battery banks
• Clothing and toiletries for each family member
• Formula, bottles, diapers, favourite books, games, and toys for infants and children 

PETS AND EVACUATIONS

If safety permits, do not leave pets or service animals behind:

• Pets may become lost and/or not survive an emergency on their own
• Bring your pet's emergency kit with you
• Prepare a list of boarding facilities, veterinarians, and local animal shelters that could shelter an animal in an emergency situation and keep that list in your pet emergency kit

Learn more about returning home after an evacuation.

Power failures and utility disruptions can be caused by failures in the system or external events, such as severe weather. Your household should be prepared for a power outage any time of the year.

During a power outage:

• Unplug all appliances and electronics, except for your refrigerator and freezer
• Turn down heating/cooling systems to the minimum to prevent damage when power is restored
• Keep one internal light on to alert you when power is restored 
• Keep one external light on to alert utility workers when power is restored
• Only use portable space heaters that are designed for indoor use
• Use a natural gas fireplace to provide warmth, if available and necessary
• NEVER use barbecues, propane, kerosene heaters, or portable generators indoors
• NEVER use a gas stove or oven as a heat source
• NEVER leave candles unattended

During an extended power outage, your building's property management staff or community organizations might visit you at home to make sure you are safe.

During a power outage, food kept in the refrigerator or freezer may become unsafe to eat. The following tips can help ensure food is stored safety, in the event of a power outage: 

• Keep your refrigerator door closed (if possible) to maintain the internal temperature. In the event of a power outage, a sealed fridge can keep food cold for up 4 to 6 hours
• Keep a fridge thermometer in your refrigerator so you can know when the temperature rises above 4°C
• Throw out perishable foods such as meat, fish, poultry, eggs and leftovers that have been at temperatures above 4°C for more than two hours
• Keep your freezer door closed to maintain internal temperatures. In the event of a power outage, an upright or chest freezer that is sealed and completely full will keep food frozen for about 48 hours. A half-full freezer will keep food frozen for about 24 hours
• If it's wintertime and the power outage is expected to last for a long period of time, store food outside
• Foods that have thawed in the freezer may be refrozen if they still contain ice crystals or are at 4°C or below
• If you are in doubt whether a food item has spoiled, throw it out