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Citizen Guide

What To Do in
an Emergency

Plain-language action guides for 15 common emergencies — what to do, what not to do, when to call 911, and what to watch for in official bulletins. No jargon. Just clear steps.

Jump to: 🔴 Evacuation 🔵 Flooding 🟣 HAZMAT 🔴 Tornado 🟠 Radiation 🔵 Boil Water 🟠 Wildfire 🟠 Power Outage 🔵 Winter Storm 🟢 Epidemic 🟢 Shelter ⚫ Roads 🔴 Active Shooter 🟢 Advisory Lifted 🔵 Returning Home
Before Any Emergency

General Preparedness

📞 Always call 911 first

This app is for community information. For any immediate life-threatening emergency, call 911 before anything else.

🎒 Keep a 72-hour kit

Water (2L/person/day), food, flashlight, battery radio, first aid kit, and medications — ready at all times.

Go-bag comms checklist →

👨‍👩‍👧 Have a family plan

Agree on a meeting place and out-of-area contact before an emergency. Know two evacuation routes from your home.

Communications considerations →

📱 Install the alert app

Add EmergencyAlert to your home screen and enable notifications for instant alerts — even when the screen is locked.

📧 Register for SMS & email

Sign up in the Get Alerts tab so warnings reach you even when the app is closed or your data connection is down.

🏘️ Check on your neighbours

Elderly residents, people with disabilities, and those living alone may need help evacuating or accessing information.

Take this guide with you. Download the PDF version to print and keep in your go-bag, vehicle, or on the fridge — available even when you have no internet or power.

Download PDF Guide
Emergency Action Guides

15 Emergency Types

Evacuation

Mandatory Evacuation

When: flooding, wildfire, hazmat, structural danger — an official evacuation order is issued
✓ Do
  • Leave immediately — do not wait or delay
  • Take your 72-hour go-bag: meds, ID, documents, water, food, phone charger
  • Take pets — check shelter locations for pet-friendly options
  • Follow the designated evacuation route in the bulletin
  • Lock your home and leave a note on the door with your destination
  • Let family and your out-of-area contact know you are leaving and where you are going
  • Help neighbours who may need assistance
✕ Don't
  • Don't delay or refuse to leave — orders protect lives
  • Don't drive through flooded roads — turn around, don't drown
  • Don't use your phone while driving
  • Don't return home until an official all-clear bulletin is posted
  • Don't leave pets behind if avoidable
  • Don't stop to collect valuables — your life is the priority
Check the Bulletins tab for evacuation routes, shelter addresses, and updates.
If you cannot evacuate, call 911 immediately.
Flooding

Flood Warning / Rising Water

When: a flood warning is issued due to rising river or creek levels, storm surge, ice jam, dam release, or severe rainfall
✓ Do
  • Move to higher ground immediately if you are near a waterway or in a low-lying area
  • Grab your go-bag: medications, ID, phone and charger, 72 hours of food and water
  • Follow the designated evacuation route — confirm it is not flooded before using
  • Unplug electrical appliances only if you can do so safely without stepping in water
  • Use sandbags if available and time permits — protect door thresholds first
  • Document all property damage with photos before any cleanup begins, for insurance
  • Contact your insurance company as soon as you are safely out of the area
  • Follow all directions from provincial response personnel (OPP, MNR, Ontario Works)
✕ Don't
  • Don't walk through moving floodwater — just 15 cm can knock an adult off their feet
  • Don't drive through flooded roads — 30 cm of water can float most vehicles. Turn around, don't drown
  • Don't touch electrical panels, outlets, or appliances if standing water is present
  • Don't re-enter a flooded building until it has been inspected and declared safe
  • Don't use tap water during or after flooding until a boil water advisory is lifted
  • Don't discard damaged items before documenting them for insurance
Check Bulletins for affected areas, evacuation routes, shelter locations, and the all-clear to return home.
Call 911 if people are trapped by rising water or swept away.
HAZMAT

HAZMAT / Chemical Spill — Shelter-in-Place

When: a chemical spill, gas leak, or toxic release in your area
✓ Do
  • Go inside immediately — a sturdy building is your shelter
  • Close all windows, doors, and fireplace dampers
  • Turn off all HVAC — fans, A/C, forced air heating
  • Seal gaps under doors and windows with wet towels or tape
  • Move to an interior room on the highest floor if the hazardous material is heavier than air
  • Monitor the bulletin board for updates and all-clear
✕ Don't
  • Don't go outside or attempt to see what is happening
  • Don't start your car — vehicle air intake will draw in contaminated air
  • Don't open windows for fresh air — it could be contaminated
  • Don't leave until an official all-clear bulletin is issued
  • Don't eat food that may have been exposed to airborne contaminants
Check the Bulletins tab for shelter zones, substance involved, and when it is safe to go out.
Call 911 if someone is exposed or injured.
Tornado

Tornado Warning — Take Cover Now

When: Environment Canada issues a Tornado Warning for your area; a funnel cloud or tornado is confirmed
✓ Do
  • Go immediately to the lowest level of a solid building — basement is best
  • Shelter under a heavy workbench, staircase, or mattress
  • Cover your head and neck with your arms
  • Stay in an interior room away from all windows, doors, and exterior walls
  • If outside, lie flat in the lowest ditch or depression you can find, face down, covering your head
  • If in a mobile home, leave it — go to the nearest sturdy building
  • Stay sheltered until the warning is officially lifted
✕ Don't
  • Don't try to outrun a tornado in a vehicle — tornadoes are faster than cars
  • Don't shelter under a highway overpass — it creates a wind tunnel
  • Don't open windows — this wastes crucial time and does not equalize pressure
  • Don't stay in a mobile home, trailer, or tent under any circumstances
  • Don't go outside to watch the storm
  • Don't assume a tornado is over because it stops being visible
Check the Bulletins tab for the warning area and when the all-clear is issued.
Call 911 if someone is injured or trapped after the storm.
Radiation

Radiation / Nuclear Emergency

When: an official shelter-in-place or evacuation order is issued by authorities due to a radiation release
✓ Do
  • Follow official instructions immediately — shelter-in-place or evacuate as directed
  • If sheltering: go to the most central interior room; close all windows, doors, and dampers
  • Turn off all ventilation — fans, A/C, forced air; seal gaps with wet towels
  • If outside when the alert is issued, remove outer clothing before entering — bag and leave clothing outside
  • Shower with soap and water if you may have been exposed — do not scrub skin
  • If KI (potassium iodide) tablets are distributed, take only as directed by health authorities
  • Keep pets indoors and wipe their paws if they have been outside
✕ Don't
  • Don't go outside unless ordered to evacuate — inside is safer
  • Don't eat, drink, or use tap water until authorities confirm it is safe
  • Don't take KI tablets unless specifically directed by health authorities
  • Don't assume you are safe just because there is no visible smoke or smell — radiation is invisible
  • Don't crowd emergency rooms unless you are physically injured
  • Don't use your vehicle ventilation on the way to shelter or evacuation
Monitor the Bulletins tab constantly — radiation events evolve quickly and instructions may change.
Call 911 only for injuries. Do not tie up emergency lines.
Boil Water

Boil Water Advisory

When: a boil water advisory is issued for your neighbourhood or street
✓ Do
  • Boil all water used for drinking, cooking, making ice, and brushing teeth — rolling boil for 1 minute
  • Let boiled water cool before using — store in a clean, covered container
  • Use bottled water for infant formula
  • Wash hands thoroughly with boiled or bottled water
  • Check bulletin for free bottled water pickup locations
  • Inform others in your household — babysitters, caregivers, tenants
✕ Don't
  • Don't drink tap water without boiling first
  • Don't make ice with tap water
  • Don't use a water filter as a substitute for boiling — most home filters do not remove bacteria
  • Don't assume it is safe until an official all-clear bulletin is posted
Check Bulletins for the affected area boundary, bottled water locations, and the official all-clear.
Wildfire

Wildfire Watch / Evacuation Alert

When: a wildfire watch or evacuation advisory is in effect for your area
✓ Do
  • Prepare your go-bag now — don't wait for an evacuation order
  • Keep your vehicle fuelled and facing out of the driveway
  • Close all windows, doors, and vents to reduce smoke inside
  • Move combustible items (furniture, propane) away from the house exterior
  • Know your evacuation route and an alternate in case roads are blocked
  • Register with your municipality if you need evacuation assistance
✕ Don't
  • Don't wait for an evacuation order to start preparing
  • Don't go outside to defend your property once an order is issued
  • Don't drive through smoke — pull over and call 911 if visibility is near zero
  • Don't return until an official all-clear bulletin is posted
Check the Bulletins tab for fire location, evacuation routes, and shelter addresses.
Call 911 if fire is at your property or you cannot evacuate.
Power Outage

Extended Power Outage

When: a bulletin indicates a power outage lasting more than a few hours
✓ Do
  • Unplug sensitive electronics to prevent surge damage when power returns
  • Keep fridge and freezer closed — food stays safe 4 hrs in fridge, 24–48 hrs in full freezer
  • If heating fails in winter, go to a warming centre — see Bulletins for addresses
  • Use battery-powered or hand-crank radio for updates
  • Charge your phone and portable battery packs while you still can
  • If you rely on powered medical equipment, call 211 immediately
✕ Don't
  • Don't use BBQs, propane heaters, or gas generators indoors — carbon monoxide kills
  • Don't use candles near flammable materials — use battery lanterns instead
  • Don't touch downed power lines — treat all downed lines as live
  • Don't run a generator inside a garage — even with the door open
Check Bulletins for warming centres, estimated restoration time, and medical equipment support.
Call 911 for downed power lines or carbon monoxide symptoms.
Winter Storm

Winter Storm / Blizzard Warning

When: Environment Canada issues a winter storm or blizzard warning with heavy snow, high winds, or freezing conditions
✓ Do
  • Stay indoors — avoid all unnecessary travel during the storm
  • Prepare an emergency kit: flashlight, battery radio, candles, extra blankets
  • If you must travel, carry: blankets, water, snacks, shovel, sand/salt, booster cables, and a flashlight in your vehicle
  • Dress in layers — wool or synthetic, not cotton
  • Check on elderly neighbours before the storm hits
  • Know the signs of hypothermia: shivering, confusion, slurred speech, drowsiness
  • Clear snow from vents — blocked heating or furnace vents are a carbon monoxide risk
✕ Don't
  • Don't travel during blizzard conditions — even short distances can be deadly
  • Don't run a vehicle in a garage or enclosed space to warm up
  • Don't eat snow for hydration — it lowers your core body temperature
  • Don't overexert shovelling — heart attacks increase significantly during major snowfall events
  • Don't let pipes freeze — keep heat above 13°C and let faucets drip
Check Bulletins for road conditions, warming centre locations, and storm updates.
Call 911 for hypothermia, frostbite requiring medical attention, or accidents.
Epidemic / Outbreak

Public Health Alert — Disease Outbreak

When: your local health unit issues a disease outbreak or epidemic alert for your community
✓ Do
  • Follow all instructions from your local health unit exactly
  • Wash hands frequently — soap and water for at least 20 seconds
  • Stay home if you have symptoms — call Telehealth (1-866-797-0000) before going anywhere
  • Wear a mask in crowded public spaces if directed by your health unit
  • Disinfect frequently touched surfaces — doorknobs, phones, counters, taps
  • Keep up to date on vaccination if directed by public health
  • Stay informed through official health unit communications and this bulletin board
✕ Don't
  • Don't go to the emergency room unless you are seriously ill — call first
  • Don't spread unverified information — share only official health unit guidance
  • Don't stockpile medications or supplies beyond what you need
  • Don't ignore symptoms — early treatment often prevents serious illness
  • Don't visit vulnerable individuals (elderly, immunocompromised) if you are unwell
Check Bulletins for affected areas, symptoms to watch for, and health unit guidance updates.
Call 911 only for life-threatening symptoms. Otherwise call Telehealth: 1-866-797-0000.
Emergency Shelter

Emergency Shelter is Open

When: a shelter bulletin is posted for your community during any emergency
✓ Do
  • Go to the shelter address listed in the Bulletins tab
  • Bring medications, ID, and comfort items for children or seniors
  • Register when you arrive so your family can find you
  • Follow all instructions from shelter staff
  • Bring pets — check if the shelter has a designated pet area
✕ Don't
  • Don't delay — shelter capacity is limited; arrive early if possible
  • Don't bring weapons, alcohol, or drugs
  • Don't leave the shelter without checking for updated bulletins first
Check the Bulletins tab for exact address, services available, capacity, and pet policies.
Road Closure

Road Closure / Traffic Emergency

When: roads are closed due to flooding, accidents, hazmat, or storm damage
✓ Do
  • Follow the detour route listed in the bulletin
  • Check the provincial road conditions website before travelling
  • Allow extra travel time and inform others of your delay
  • Obey all road closure signage — it is there for your safety
✕ Don't
  • Don't attempt to drive around road closure barriers
  • Don't drive through flooded roads — water depth is impossible to judge visually
  • Don't stop on the road to take photos or videos
Check Bulletins for specific closure locations, detour routes, and estimated reopening time.
Advisory Lifted

Advisory or Warning Lifted — All Clear

When: an official all-clear or lifted bulletin is posted by the EOG
✓ Do
  • Read the bulletin carefully — the all-clear may apply only to part of the affected area
  • For boil water lifted: run cold taps 2 minutes before use
  • For evacuation lifted: inspect your home carefully for damage before entering fully
  • Report damage to your municipality so recovery resources can be directed appropriately
  • Replenish your go-bag and emergency supplies
✕ Don't
  • Don't assume the all-clear covers your area — check the bulletin for the specific boundary
  • Don't return to a home with visible structural damage, gas odour, or flooding
  • Don't dispose of emergency supplies — refresh and keep them ready
Read the full all-clear bulletin for specific instructions, area boundaries, and any remaining precautions.
Returning Home

Returning Home After an Evacuation

When: the evacuation order for your area has been officially lifted
✓ Do
  • Wait for the official all-clear bulletin before returning — returning early is dangerous and may be illegal
  • Inspect your home exterior for structural damage, gas odours, or flooding before entering
  • Open windows to ventilate after an extended absence
  • Check for gas leaks — if you smell gas, leave immediately and call 911
  • Photograph all damage for insurance purposes before cleaning or discarding
  • Check food in the fridge and freezer — when in doubt, throw it out
  • Report any ongoing hazards (downed trees, standing water, structural damage) to your municipality
✕ Don't
  • Don't enter a building that appears structurally unsafe
  • Don't use electrical switches or outlets if you suspect water damage to wiring
  • Don't clean up mould without appropriate protective equipment
  • Don't assume drinking water is safe — check for a boil water advisory in the Bulletins tab
Check Bulletins for re-entry instructions, any remaining advisories (water, gas), and cleanup resources.
Call 911 for gas leaks, structural collapse, or any life-threatening hazard.
Active Shooter

Active Shooter Incident

When: police confirm an active shooter at a nearby location; an official bulletin is issued
✓ Do — RUN · HIDE · FIGHT
  • RUN — if there is a safe escape route, get out immediately. Leave everything behind. Keep your hands visible when you encounter police.
  • HIDE — if you cannot run: lock and barricade the door, turn off lights, silence your phone, stay low and out of sight, and move away from the door
  • FIGHT — only as an absolute last resort when your life is in immediate danger; act aggressively and commit fully
  • Call 911 when it is safe to do so — stay on the line and follow dispatcher instructions
  • If outside in the area: move away immediately and keep streets clear for emergency vehicles
  • If reunification has been set up, go only to the designated site — not the scene
✕ Don't
  • Don't pull the fire alarm — it moves people into the open
  • Don't open your door to anyone while hiding unless police verbally confirm it is safe
  • Don't drive toward the scene to find family — go to the reunification site
  • Don't share unverified information on social media — it can cause panic and interfere with police
  • Don't stop to help the wounded if the threat is still active — call 911 and report their location
  • Don't run toward police with anything in your hands
Check the Bulletins tab for confirmed location, avoidance zone, reunification site, and the official all-clear from police.
Call 911 — give your location, number of people with you, and the shooter's last known location if safe to do so.
Advisory Lifted

Advisory or Warning Lifted — All Clear

When: an official all-clear or lifted bulletin is posted by the EOG
✓ Do
  • Read the bulletin carefully — the all-clear may apply only to part of the affected area
  • For boil water lifted: run cold taps 2 minutes before use
  • For evacuation lifted: inspect your home carefully for damage before entering fully
  • Report damage to your municipality so recovery resources can be directed appropriately
  • Replenish your go-bag and emergency supplies
✕ Don't
  • Don't assume the all-clear covers your area — check the bulletin for the specific boundary
  • Don't return to a home with visible structural damage, gas odour, or flooding
  • Don't dispose of emergency supplies — refresh and keep them ready
Read the full all-clear bulletin for specific instructions, area boundaries, and any remaining precautions.
Returning Home

Returning Home After an Evacuation

When: the evacuation order for your area has been officially lifted
✓ Do
  • Wait for the official all-clear bulletin before returning — returning early is dangerous and may be illegal
  • Inspect your home exterior for structural damage, gas odours, or flooding before entering
  • Open windows to ventilate after an extended absence
  • Check for gas leaks — if you smell gas, leave immediately and call 911
  • Photograph all damage for insurance purposes before cleaning or discarding
  • Check food in the fridge and freezer — when in doubt, throw it out
  • Report any ongoing hazards (downed trees, standing water, structural damage) to your municipality
✕ Don't
  • Don't enter a building that appears structurally unsafe
  • Don't use electrical switches or outlets if you suspect water damage to wiring
  • Don't clean up mould without appropriate protective equipment
  • Don't assume drinking water is safe — check for a boil water advisory in the Bulletins tab
Check Bulletins for re-entry instructions, any remaining advisories (water, gas), and cleanup resources.
Call 911 for gas leaks, structural collapse, or any life-threatening hazard.

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