Emergency Scenarios

Emergencies can happen anytime and can affect you, your family, and your neighbourhood. Being prepared is as simple as listening for weather warnings and knowing what to do before something happens.

On this page, you can find information about responding to a variety of emergency scenarios

Learn more about

Severe Weather Events and Flooding

Find strategies for preparing for, and staying safe during, a variety of severe weather events, including tips for power outages and winter driving.

Nuclear Emergency Preparedness

Learn more about what we are doing in Peterborough, and how we are ready to respond to emergencies in our region.

Cyber Security or Critical Systems Breach

Before

  • Keep backups of important files offsite or in the cloud.
  • Use strong, unique passwords and enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).
  • Ensure your home Wi-Fi and devices have up-to-date security patches.
  • Know who to contact locally (e.g. City IT service provider, utility providers) if systems go down.

During

  • Disconnect compromised devices from networks.
  • Don’t open suspicious emails or click links.
  • Follow guidance from local authorities about data protection or restoration.
  • For businesses: switch to manual or fallback processes if digital systems are offline.

After

  • Change passwords and check for unauthorized transactions.
  • Restore clean data from backups.
  • Learn lessons - review what protections failed.
  • Consider additional security tools or services if needed.

Human Health Emergency (Pandemic)

Before

  • Stay up to date with vaccinations and public health guidelines.
  • Keep a supply of essential medications, masks, hand sanitizer.
  • Practice good hygiene and plan how you might isolate or work remotely.
  • Know where to find updates; health unit, City, provincial websites.

During

  • Follow public health directives (e.g. masking, distancing, isolation) as needed.
  • Avoid non-essential travel or gatherings.
  • Use telehealth services if possible.
  • If sick, stay home and limit contact with others.

After

  • Continue public health follow-ups (testing, vaccinations) as required.
  • Support mental health recovery; seek resources if feeling anxious or overwhelmed.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces. Wash hands frequently.
  • Participate in community recovery initiatives if available.

Energy, Oil or Natural Gas Disruption

Before

  • Know how to turn off gas valves safely.
  • Keep backup fuel, food, water, flashlights.
  • Install carbon monoxide detectors.

During

  • Conserve energy (lower thermostat in winter or reduce use of air conditioning in summer; avoid unneeded appliances or lighting).
  • Use gas or oil heating only if in a safe, well-ventilated area.
  • Follow instructions from your utility provider.

After

  • Have appliances inspected before restarting.
  • If food or medical supplies have spoiled, discard.
  • Return to normal usage gradually as services are restored in your area.

Hazardous Materials Incident

Before

  • Know your evacuation and shelter‐in‐place routes.
  • Store household chemicals safely; keep Material Safety Data Sheets if applicable.
  • Keep seals around windows and doors in good condition.

During

  • Shelter-in-place: close all doors and windows, shut down HVAC systems and fans.
  • Evacuate if directed by authorities.
  • Avoid contact with or inhalation of unknown substances.

After

  • Follow decontamination instructions if exposed.
  • Wash surfaces and clothing that may be contaminated.
  • Seek medical help if you detect symptoms.

Forest or Wild Fire

Before

  • Know whether you’re in an area that might be impacted by smoke drift.
  • Keep indoor air clean: seal windows, use HEPA filters.
  • Have N95 or equivalent masks available.

During

  • Minimize outdoor activity; depending on severity of air quality warnings, use masks when outside.
  • Stay indoors with air purifier or closed windows.
  • Follow guidance from local authorities.

After

  • Ventilate your home when it is safe to do so.
  • Watch for respiratory symptoms; seek medical care if needed.

Airport Incident

Before

  • If you live near the airport, know the recommended shelter or evacuation zones.
    Stay informed by following public service notices in local news and City alerts on the City's website and Alertable app.

During

  • Follow instructions from police or airport authorities.
  • Stay away from the area if told to evacuate; avoid flying drones.

After

  • Follow traffic directions for re-entry, if evacuation has taken place.
  • Follow official communications for when normal operations resume.

Shelter-in-place orders

Plan

Shelter-in-place means finding a safe location indoors and staying there until you are given an “all clear” or told to evacuate. You may be asked to shelter-in-place due to a chemical or radiological concern or other hazard.

Plan ahead for this type of situation by identifying a safe location in your home / workplace, etc. The safe room should be away from exterior doors, windows and walls if possible. If you cannot find a safe interior room, have materials on hand, such as plastic and duct tape to seal around doors and windows.

Think of what you might need in the safe room, (i.e. water, food, medication, phone charger, radio or internet access to monitor the situation and obtain up to date emergency information, etc.) if you had to shelter-in-place for several hours.

Label shut-off switches for H.V.A.C. systems and include written instructions if necessary. Ensure family members, employees, etc. know how to shut down these systems if it is necessary in the event of an emergency.

Respond

  • Stay calm.
  • Follow the direction of emergency services personnel.
  • Go or remain indoors, and proceed to your safe location.
  • Turn off HVAC systems, lights, etc. as directed by emergency services personnel.
  • Seal doors and windows with plastic and duct tape, if advised to do so.
  • Monitor local media and social media for up to date emergency information.
  • Do not open doors and windows until you are instructed to do so by emergency services personnel.
  • Wait in the safest location possible until you are given the “all clear” or told to evacuate.

Bomb threat

Plan

It is important to read through this information today so that if you are ever confronted with this situation, you will know what to do to keep you, your family or your colleagues safe. You may not have this information near you at the time, but you will remember and recall what you are reading now.

Evaluate

If you receive a bomb threat, do not assume it is a joke, prank or hoax. Respond immediately. Use the Bomb Threat Telephone Procedures Form to record information.

Respond

Remain calm; try to get someone's attention to listen in on the call; and obtain as much information from the caller:

  1. When is the bomb going to explode?
    • Where is it?
    • What does it look like?
    • What will cause it to explode?
    • Why did you place the bomb?
  2. If you have caller I.D., write down the number that is displayed. Remember:
    • Woman's or man's voice?
    • Approximate age?
    • Accent?
    • Tone of voice?
    • Background noise?
  3. Notify police by calling 9-1-1. Provide the following information:
    • Location of the emergency (building, floor number, room number)
    • Nature and extent of the emergency
    • Your name and a telephone number to reach you
    • Follow the instructions of emergency personnel

Active Shooter

Plan

Surviving a situation that involves an active shooter or someone with a weapon depends on you taking action.

  • Always be aware of your surroundings.
  • Notice the location of exits. Whether you are familiar with a building, or just visiting a building, always look for multiple ways out.
  • Seek shelter and lockdown (link to terminology page). Think of where you would take cover or hide if you could not leave the building and how you would keep the assailant out of your area (i.e. lock a door, barricade a door with heavy furniture, close blinds on windows so the assailant cannot see you, etc.)
  • Think of what you might need (food, water, medication) if you have to stay in one location for an extended period of time. In a situation like an active shooter, you may need to stay in lockdown for many hours while police deal with the assailant.

Evaluate

Evaluate

Situations happen quickly, so you must think fast about what you need to do to get yourself and others to safety. Consider:

  • Location: Where are you in relation to the incident? Are you in the area where the incident is taking place, outside, or in another part of the building? Your location affects your choices.
  • Is it safe to evacuate?
  • Where would I hide and lockdown, if I could not evacuate safely?
  • If my life depended on it, would I take aggressive action (fight) against the assailant?
  • What can I use to defend myself?

Respond

  • Run (evacuate), Hide (lockdown), or as a last resort, Fight (take aggressive action against the assailant).
  • Call 9-1-1 when it is safe to do so.
  • If indoors, and you are being asked to lockdown, find a safe place to hide. Lock the doors. Clothes the blinds. Stay away from windows and doors. Turn your cell phone to silent mode. Remain quiet. Stay in lockdown until the Police arrive, and then follow their instructions.
  • If outdoors or a safe distance away from the assailant, run away from the affected area. Do not stop until you are a safe distance away from the assailant and can seek shelter in another building.
  • If you are in the immediate area of the assailant and you cannot get yourself to safety, take aggressive action toward the assailant. If possible, work with others to attack the assailant with a heavy object, cause a commotion by yelling and throwing items at the assailant, etc.
  • At all times, trust your judgment.

Do not touch, move, or open the object.

Typical characteristics of a suspicious letter or parcel include:

  • Excessive postage, no postage, or cancelled postage
  • No return address or obviously false return address
  • Packages that are unexpected or from someone unfamiliar to you
  • Excessive tape
  • Improper spelling or addressees names, titles, locations
  • Packages that are addressed to someone no longer with your organization or otherwise outdated
  • Rigid, bulky, lopsided, or uneven
  • Unexpected envelopes from foreign countries

Treat item as suspicious.

Isolate the area.

Evacuate the immediate area.

Notify the police by calling 9-1-1.

Request immediate assistance and follow instructions of emergency personnel.

Contact Us

City Hall
500 George St. N.
Peterborough, ON
K9H 3R9

Phone: 705-742-7777
Toll Free: 1-855-738-3755
Email Us