Sarnia Emergency Planning Our Current Methods of Community Emergency Notifications

1
Sarnia EmergencyPlanning Our Current Methods of
Community Emergency Notifications Our Vision

• October 2003

2
Community Profile

• The City of Sarnia its partners has been
  involved in Emergency Planning for well over 50
  years.
• Sarnia / Lambtons total population is 126,971
• The City Accounts for 70,876 of the total
  population.
• 118,780 speak English only, 115 speak French
  only and 405 do not understand either official
  language.

3
Sarnia Area Critical Infrastructure

• There are two international bridges which provide
  the second largest truck crossing in Ontario but
  the largest volume in the transportation of
  dangerous goods. (1,174,703 trucks in 2001.
• There are 28 major pipelines crossing from the
  Canadian Side to the U.S. side. These pipes range
  from 6 to 42 in diameter. It has been estimated
  that if this product was to be transported by
  truck we would require 12 additional bridges just
  to handle these loads.

4
Sarnia Area Critical Infrastructure (continued)

• The new International Rail Tunnel in 1995
  accommodates all double stacked containers and
  multi-level carriers cutting transit time by up
  to 24 hours to the mid-western U.S.
• The local CN rail yard is the largest rail yard
  handling dangerous goods in the Great Lakes
  Region the second largest international rail
  yard in Canada.
• Sarnia the surrounding area has 25 major
  Chemical Plants. These Industries, Pipelines,
  transportation corridors account for 40 of the
  Chemicals in Canada and 80 of the Chemicals in
  Ontario.

5
Methods of Emergency Notification (Emergency
Site to Emergency Responders)

• All Industries have one CVECO Radio that
  instantly notifies all Industries / Police / Fire
  /Ambulance / Hospitals by a code system for
  Internal or External Emergencies.
• The Municipal 9-1-1 dispatch than notifies by
  Radio Police, Fire, Ambulance, Public Works,
  Transit and U.S. 9-1-1 centres.
• The Municipal 9-1-1 dispatch will than notify
  Municipal Emergency Planers, School Boards, and
  Hospital staff by way of pagers. (for all codes)
• Additional notifications would include E.O.C.
  staff and Emergency Reception personnel as
  required.

6
Current PublicEmergency Notification Systems

• TV Interruption of all local COGECO CABLE TV
  (Directly from the Sarnia E.O.C)
• Radio Interruption of all three local radio
  stations (Directly from the Sarnia E.O.C.)
• Municipal Emergency Sirens with P.A. (Directly
  from the Sarnia E.O.C.)
• Currently Testing All in one Telephone/ ClassCo/
  E-Mail/ Pager, Cell Phone, Emergency
  Notification System with Bell Canada.
• More common yet less effective forms of emergency
  Communication to the Community involve door to
  door notification , loud mobile P.A. address
  systems and community Webb sites.

7
Notification Coverage Area Required

• Currently Radio Sarnia Lambton is the only
  Coverage for this total area including portions
  of the U.S. side.
• Cogeco Cable TV covers the Canadian Side.
• In Sarnia the sirens only currently cover the
  south end of Sarnia south of Wellington St. In
  addition Sirens cover Corunna, Point Edward and
  Aamjiwnaang.

8
Municipal Sirens
9
Siren Information

• The Ten non rotating Sirens are set at 126 dBC
  covering a 1 kilometer circumference.
• At the fringe of the required area we are
  reaching on average 76 dBC
• The average cost for a siren and installation is
  30,000 Canadian for non-rotating sirens.
• Sirens can not give specific information about
  the situation and what action should be taken.
  P.A. systems are too distorted when mixed in with
  road noise.
• Generally, the public can not hear Outdoor Sirens
  when inside.
• Outdoor Sirens do not cover the entire city.
• Out door Alerting Method Only Public needs to be
  Preeducated on what to do.

10
Commercial Radio

• The Emergency Alert Radio System is read live
  from Police HQ during emergencies but this is
  limited to times when the radio stations are not
  staffed. (Most Radio Stations go to satellite
  feed after hours) (Low cost to run)
• A Battery Operated radio will worked during
  power outage.
• Commercial Radio does not provide continuously
  repeating announcements / Impatient listeners
  tune out or look for other stations for info.
• Listeners may not be be listening to the local
  radio stations or they may be sleeping.
• Interrupting local Radio stations provides both
  an Alerting Method and a Information Media.

11
Cable TV

• Not all households are connected to, or watching
  Cogeco Cable more and more people or going to
  satellite.(Not locally Controlled)
• Cogeco can not interrupt their digital service
  with emergency announcements.
• Cogeco does not provide continuous coverage for
  emergencies. Again, updated information is read
  live from Police HQ.
• TV will not work if there is a power failure in
  the area.
• Local cost are low if it is a service provided
  locally. Provides both Alerting Emergency
  Information.

12
Current Local Telephone Dialers

• Current Telephone call-out systems on the market
  are too slow for rapid large volume calling.
• The availability of accurate (9-1-1 data and
  unlisted numbers is required to enhance the
  system.
• Too much administration to keep call list up at
  the local level.
• The 911 system is overloaded with calls related
  to Sirens during an emergency the telephone
  system can get slowed down with too many of these
  current phone systems. (Data moves to slow) (A
  need for Federal Legislation to Control Use)
• People are tying up emergency resources looking
  for information.

13
ClassCo Alerting Device

• In test phase in Sarnia
• Provides Alerting Instructions to the
  community.
• Reaches the Hearing Impaired.
• Faster than current Telephone dialers.
• Provides contact reports.
• Works in power disruption.
• Provides audio Alarm and Voice message in English
  or French.

14
Why All Communities Need Emergency Notification
Systems

• Most Emergencies occur at the local level.
• Most Communities could experience one or more of
  the following Tornadoes, Forest Fire, Flooding,
  Chemical Emergency, Nuclear, Contaminated Water
  Line, Power Outage etc.
• The First Part of any Good Plan is how to warn
  the public. (Communications)

15
AUGUST 14th 2003 Power Outage
16
Thank You