Emergencies can strike at any moment. From extreme heat waves and freezing temperatures to severe storms, unexpected situations can disrupt our daily lives significantly.
From May 4 to 10, the City of Brampton joins municipalities nationwide in recognizing Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week, a critical reminder to review your readiness for potential emergencies.
To kick off EP Week, join the City of Brampton at a community-focused event highlighting a partnership between local Ward Councillors, Enbridge, the City’s Sponsorship team, Brampton Emergency Management Office (BEMO) and Achēv. Community members will receive emergency kits, emphasizing the collective effort in promoting readiness and resilience across the city.
Save the date – Emergency Preparedness Week Community Event
Date: Monday, May 5
Time: 9:30 am
Location: Achēv – Brampton South, 7700 Hurontario St. #601, Brampton, ON
Building your emergency preparedness
Everyone has a role in emergency preparedness. Here’s how you can take proactive steps to be ready:
Make a plan
Making sure your family is prepared is crucial. Emergencies may happen when you're apart, so plan how you'll stay in touch and reunite:
- Develop a home escape plan. Draw a floor plan marking all rooms and identify two escape routes from each room (doors, windows, stairways).
- Select a predetermined meeting place outside your neighbourhood.
- Regularly practice your plan, ensuring everyone knows what to do.
Prepare an emergency kit
Create a kit to sustain your household for at least 72 hours. Essential items include:
- Non-perishable food
- Water
- Extra sets of keys (home and vehicle)
- A small amount of cash
- Sleeping bags or warm blankets
- Toiletries
- First aid kit
- Necessary medications
- Pet supplies (if applicable)
Business Continuity Awareness Week: Keeping Brampton businesses resilient
Following EP Week, the City of Brampton will recognize Business Continuity Awareness Week from May 19 to 23, encouraging local businesses to develop strategies that minimize disruptions and swiftly restore operations after emergencies.
What is business continuity planning?
Business continuity planning helps minimize the impact of disruptions, ensuring that critical business operations continue or quickly return to an acceptable level.
Getting started involves:
- Considering all possible disruptions to your business
- Determining potential impacts on your operations
- Rating disruptions from highest to lowest priority
- Prioritizing your recovery plan accordingly
Why have a business continuity plan?
A business continuity plan doesn’t solve every possible issue but greatly reduces impacts on employees, customers and overall operations. Any amount of preparedness helps ensure business resilience.
Who should be involved?
Business continuity planning is a collaborative effort involving all departments, ensuring everyone clearly understands their role in the event of disruptions.
Key elements include:
- Risk assessments
- Evaluations
- Plan development, include plans for:
- Loss of facility
- Loss of people
- Loss of technology
- Loss of resources
- Training and exercises
- Regular plan maintenance
This May, the City of Brampton emphasizes simple yet essential actions that residents and businesses can take to build preparedness habits. Preparation today supports a safer, stronger community tomorrow.
