Emergency Preparedness

Understand Flood Messaging

How will you know when a flood is coming? Flooding is monitored by Conservation Authorities, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry, and Environment Canada.

Conservation Authorities issue flood messages to municipal emergency management officials and the media when flooding is possible or imminent. The municipal officials then take action to warn residents. Warning of an impending flood allows municipalities and other government agencies to put emergency response plans into action and, if necessary, evacuate communities. In case of an emergency, you should:

You can check the flood status for all of Ontario here at any time. You can also check the flood status for Conservation Authorities located within the Region of Durham below:

• Toronto and Region - view the current Flood Status and sign up to receive flood messages by email
  
• Lake Simcoe Region - view the current flood status
• Kawartha Region - view the current flood status
• Ganaraska Region - view the current flood status
• Central Lake Ontario - view the current flood status

Create an emergency plan

If you are asked to stay inside or evacuate, you should have an emergency plan. Take some time to write down what you are going to do in an emergency. You can use this template to create an emergency plan.

Include children, seniors, and pets in your plan. The following resources may be helpful:

• Emergency Preparedness Guide for People with Disabilities/Special Needs by Public Safety Canada 
  
• Emergency Preparedness for Children by Public Safety Canada
• Emergency Preparedness for Pets and Service Animals by Public Safety Canada

Think about things like:

• Hearing
• High-rise safety
• Mobility
• Non-visible disabilities
• Service animals
• Travel considerations
• Vision

Make sure everyone knows where to find your emergency plan and emergency kits. Remember to practice your plan often.

Prepare your Emergency Kit

Your Go Bag is an emergency kit that you can grab when you need it. Many retailers sell preassembled kits, or you can build your own. 

Speak with your Neighbours about Flood Preparation

Now that you have learned more about how to prepare for floods, it is time to share. We know that some community members are more vulnerable to floods. We also know that the most well-connected communities are the most prepared and resilient. By talking about flooding proactively, you can help others create a plan and support each other in emergencies. If you don't know your neighbours yet, meeting them is your first step!

Topics to discuss

• Preparing a 72-hour kit and Go Bag and storing them in a safe place
• Types of help each family may need during or after a disaster
• Ways to help people who may be more vulnerable in the neighbourhood
• Resources that can be shared by the neighbourhood after a disaster
• Safe places to go after a disaster, such as a library or community centre
• Subscribing to your local councillor’s newsletters, Durham Region's social media (@RegionofDurham) and emergency alerts via email
• Sharing contact information and ways to reach each other during emergencies
• Resources available on Flood Resilient Durham and directing neighbours here for additional information
• Find out if there is a local community resilience hub in your community - check out this example in Halton Region

Webinar: How to Prepare for the Next Big Flood

The ravines and waterfronts dotted throughout our communities make Durham Region an exceptional place to live. But every year  people like you experience devastation and loss when those normally-calm waters get wild, and water flows where it’s not wanted.

We know that our climate is becoming warmer, wetter, and wilder. As our storms become more extreme, the likelihood of damaging floods increases. But there are simple things that you can do to make your family and property more resilient.

On May 26, 2020, experts in climate change, river systems, and flood preparedness and response hosted a webinar to discuss real examples of flooding in Durham and what you should do now to prepare.

Watch the flood webinar recording as experts from the Region of Durham, the Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority, the Intact Centre for Climate Adaptation at the University of Waterloo, and the Municipality of Clarington discuss:

• How our climate is changing in the Durham region;
• Five things you can do to make your family ready for any emergency;
• Who does what in the event of a flood;
• Three steps homeowners can take to reduce their risk of flooding and cleanup costs if it happens; and
• First-hand examples of flooding in Clarington

Find more Emergency Preparedness Resources

Visit the following websites for more information:

• Durham Region
• Ajax
• Brock
• Clarington
• Oshawa
• Pickering
• Scugog
• Uxbridge
• Whitby

Review the Canadian Red Cross resource on what you can do before, during, and after a flood.

Download the Emergency preparedness factsheet that summarizes the information on this page below.