Emergency preparedness

Alert London Notification System

In the event of an emergency, Alert London will provide critical public safety messages. The system is designed to reach you at your preferred point of contact (text or voice). Please provide your name, address, phone number and preferred method of contact (text or email). Please note that it can take up to one week after registering to be added to the system.

Alert London Sign Up


Seeing the Solar Eclipse Safely

A total solar eclipse will be taking place on Monday, April 8, 2024. The path of the eclipse will pass through multiple provinces, including Ontario, however based on its narrow path, London is expected to only have a partial eclipse. In London, the partial eclipse starts at 2:01pm. The maximum of the eclipse occurs at 3:17pm, and the eclipse ends at 4:29pm.

Whether it’s a total of partial solar eclipse you are viewing, it is very important you do so safely. Looking at the sun without special protection may cause damage to your retina from radiation. If you look at the sun during an eclipse, you will not feel pain and your eyes’ protective mechanisms will not adequately protect you.  To learn more about the April 8, 2024 solar eclipse, including best locations to view the total eclipse, additional safety measures and weather prospects, visit https://cronyn.uwo.ca/eclipse2024/ .

Safety Precautions and Measures for viewing the solar eclipse.
  • Do not look directly at the sun. Do not look indirectly at the sun using a window or mirror reflection.
  • Where possible, schedule tasks indoors during the eclipse, to reduce the likelihood of looking at the sun.
  • If driving, continue as normal and avoid looking at the sun – depending on the sun position, use hats/shades/visors that don’t allow any visible light to pass through. Don’t drive wearing eclipse glasses. Have headlights turned ON.
  • If driving, follow local directives and road signage as you travel on April 8. While travelling on highways, do not stop, take pictures, or get out of your car to view the eclipse.
  • If driving, expect increases in traffic and road congestion. Plan ahead, fill your gas tank, and have snacks, water, entertainment and first-aid supplies on hand.
  • Stay updated on road conditions before, during, and after the eclipse by visiting 511on.ca
  • During a Solar Eclipse, the environment will darken like dawn or dusk – prepare for distracted drivers/people. 
  • Where applicable, ensure adequate lighting and wear high visibility clothing appropriate for low light conditions.
  • Regular sunglasses are not nearly adequate to protect your eyes while looking directly at the sun. Do not use a camera, a telescope, binoculars, translucent shades/visors or any other optical device to look at the sun. These devices are not safe for eclipse viewing, and the concentrated solar ray can cause retinal burns.
  • Special glasses can be purchased for safe eclipse viewing, that are validated and tested by a properly accredited laboratory to meet the requirements of ISO 12312-2:2015; however, there’s a significant number of counterfeit glasses being sold as “ISO 12312-2:2015 compliant or certified”. If you choose to view the eclipse in your off-hours, ensure your glasses are authentic and purchased from a reputable vendor.

 


The City of London has a thorough Emergency Management Program in place to prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from emergency situations. 

Call 911 for all emergencies. London Police Service, London Fire Department and the Middlesex-London Paramedic Service work together to respond to emergencies. 

 

Emergency preparedness for families and individuals

Make a Plan

Emergencies can strike with very little warning, leaving you with no time to make plans about where to go and what to do.

Challenges you might face in an emergency:

  • You might not have the opportunity to gather resources that you need
  • Family members may be in different locations when the event occurs
  • Communication networks can break down
  • It is possible that electricity, water or gas service to your home will be disrupted
  • Roads could be blocked or closed
  • Regular sources of food, water and gasoline might not be available

Residents have a key role to play in responding to emergencies. Make plans to be able to take care of yourself and the members of your household for up to 72 hours.

Being prepared ahead of time will help you and your family cope with an emergency more effectively and enable you to make a faster recovery.

Emergencies can be particularly stressful for children, seniors and individuals with disabilities or special needs. They may feel especially vulnerable if they rely on caregivers for assistance, but are separated from them when the incident occurs. If your household includes a person who requires extra help or has special needs, be sure to include provisions for them in your plan.

Prepare a Kit

Make preparations before an emergency to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours. This allows emergency workers to focus on people who require urgent assistance. Assemble an emergency kit that contains items to help you cope during the first 72 hours of an emergency. Store the items in backpacks, duffel bags or luggage so you can easily take the kit with you in case you need to evacuate. Keep it in a cool, dry area of your home. Ensure that every household member knows where the emergency kit is located. You should prepare a:

  • 72 Hour Basic Emergency Kit
  • Vehicle Emergency Kit (if required)
  • Pet Emergency Kit (if required)

Check your kits at least once each year. A good time to inspect it is during Emergency Preparedness Week. Check that all items are in working order and use your checklist to ensure that your kit is still complete. Replace food, water and batteries in your kit at this time.

Emergency Kit Checklist

 

Alert London privacy policy

Privacy Policy​​​​​

The personal information collected on this form will be shared with the Corporate Security & Emergency Management Division of the Corporation of the City of London, and will be used to notify the public during a large-scale emergency, pursuant to the Emergency Management & Civil Protection Act, 1990, s. 3(1).  Questions about this information should be addressed to the Manager of Emergency Management, 300 Dufferin Avenue, P.O. Box 5035, London, ON  N6A 4L9. Tel: 519-661-CITY (2489) ext. 6449 or e-mail Alert@london.ca

London's Emergency Management Program

In the event of an emergency, the City of London has an Emergency Response Plan in place and trained emergency response teams available to take action 24 hours per day, 365 days per year. Every day these emergency response teams work together to effectively respond to emergencies. In the case of a disaster, these teams are prepared and respond as a unified team to deal with the situation.

The City of London Emergency Response Plan outlines roles and responsibilities of essential personnel to ensure that essential services are provided to the community throughout the emergency. It also outlines how the City coordinates with community agencies as hospitals, schools, utilities, telephone and volunteer groups like Red Cross, Salvation Army and St. John Ambulance.

London Emergency Response Plan 2023

City of London By-Law

One of the requirements under the Provincial legislation is for each municipality to have a by-law that authorizes its emergency management program and emergency response plan. London's By-law was passed by City Council and is included in the Emergency Response Plan.

Program Coordination

Responsibility for implementing and maintaining London's emergency management program rests with the Corporate Security and Emergency Management Division.

This Division works closely with partner agencies and organizations to ensure our program is comprehensive and promotes inter-agency collaboration.

Emergency Management Program Committee

London has a multi-agency committee to help facilitate its Community Emergency Management Program with representation from:

  • London Fire
  • London Police
  • Middlesex-London Emergency Paramedic Services
  • City of London 
  • Middlesex-London Health Unit
  • London Health Sciences Centre
  • St. Joseph's Health Care London
  • London Hydro
  • London Transit
  • Middlesex County

The Community Emergency Management Program Committee (CEMPC)'s mandate is to oversee and direct the implementation of emergency management standards.

Emergency Management Citizen's Academy

The aim of the Citizen Academy Program (CAP) is to build community awareness by training citizens in an emergency management program that will encourage resilience, protect the environment and property in our community.

The Citizen Academy Program will give adult residents of London an opportunity to learn first hand about emergency management issues and programs in London. Citizens will participate in classroom sessions facilitated by staff from Emergency Management and Security Services.

Those who attend will be encouraged to assist the community with emergency management information in any way they can.

Each session will focus on the following topics:

  • EOC exercise video;
  • Tour of EOC;
  • 72 Emergency preparedness presentation & video;
  • Emergency Management in London Presentation.

The next Citizen Academy is scheduled for the following dates:

  • May 16, 2024
  • June 13, 2024
  • October 24, 2024

These sessions will run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

For more information or to sign up for CAP please email Taylor Simmons at tsimmons@london.ca

 

Free Emergency Preparedness Workshop Booking

If you would like your team to attend an emergency preparedness workshop, our team would be glad to help arrange a workshop for your group. Please contact Taylor Simmons at tsimmons@london.ca

Be sure to include the location of your workshop, how many individuals will be attending and how long you would like the workshop to be. We look forward to meeting with you and your team.


NOTICE OF COLLECTION OF PERSONAL INFORMATION

The personal information collected on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c. 25, and will be used to contact Citizen Academy Program members with information regarding upcoming events. Questions about this collection should be addressed to the Manager, Henry Klausnitzer at 275 Boler Rd., London, ON N6K 2J9. Tel: 519-661-2489 x 7501, email: hklausni@london.ca

Emergency Preparedness Videos & Fact Sheets

The Emergency Management team wants to make sure you have all the information you need to be prepared for any type of emergency. Taylor Simmons, the team's Public Educator has created a series of videos & fact sheets that cover a variety of topics to help make sure you are as prepared as possible. 

Emergency Preparedness Video Series

 

 

Emergency Preparedness Fact Sheets

The City of London is prepared for a number of potential hazards and risks identified in the London's hazard identification and risk assessment study. 

 

 

 

Last modified:Monday, March 18, 2024