Tornado's 25th Anniversary

Today marks the 25th Anniversary of the F4 tornado's that struck Grand Valley and Barrie killing 12 people and injuring more than 240. The tornado had winds estimated at 400 km per hour.

That day a series of 40 tornado's struck Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania and Ontario.

The "Barrie Tornado" was a significant event in emergency management in Ontario as it brought to the forefront the dangerous potential tornado's in Ontario.

For additional information check out this link:
http://www.ontariostorms.com/1985/barrie/

Active Hurricane Season Predicted

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA) is predicting a busy hurricane season in the Atlantic.


“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record,” said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D. “The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared.”

"it's important that families and businesses in coastal communities take steps now to be ready. These include developing a communications plan, putting together a kit, and staying informed of the latest forecasts and local emergency plans. You can't control when a hurricane or other emergency may happen, but you can make sure you're ready."

This is pertinent advice to coastal communities from Texas to Newfoundland and Labrador. Severe hurricanes can move inland hundreds of kilometers with heavy rain, high winds and even tornadoes causing extensive flooding, power failures and other related disruptions.

For the 2010 hurricane forecast and up to date Atlantic storm information check out the NOAA website at http://www.noaa.gov/

Road and Railway Blockades Threatened

Over the past few years, First Nations peoples have established a National Day of Action each summer to protest and make known their grievances with the provincial and federal governments. In previous years these protests have included blocking traffic on Hwy 401 and other highways along with blockages of rail lines.

This year, coinciding with the G8/G20 a group called Red Power United is calling for First Nations communities to protest on June 24 (Thursday before the G8/G20). A website and Facebook page have called for demonstrations at Queens Park in Toronto, the Parliament buildings in Ottawa, and to shut down highways and railways across the province. One entry states that a highway between Hamilton and Toronto will be closed and calls for First Nations people to coordinate other highway closures with each other.

Anger over the HST and its impacts to First Nations people, land claim disputes, fishing / hunting rights, natural resource disputes etc. will be some of the issues being publicized with the protests.

Travel plans in Ontario for June 24??? Bring your patience and alternate route map along with you...

Small Volcano Teaches Big Lessons

When Emergency Planners in Europe were developing their business plans it is unlikely that they were considering a volcano in Iceland. It is not actually critical to identify each and every risk... but to consider the operations that your organization depends on and their disruption.

European planners could have easily examined various transportation disruptions (for whatever reason) and looked at the implications. What if there is no air traffic for a week? What if there is no train traffic for a week? What if the main highway is blocked for a week? Regardless of the cause, one can start to look at the business continuity implications of various transportation risks, communications risks, other infrastructure failures, etc.

Attached is a link to an interesting article in the New Zealand news about an African organization looking at the impact of the Icelandic volcano on European business continuity planning (now if that is not a truly international series of linkages...).

http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article466210.ece/Small-volcano-teaches-world-big-lesson


"The only thing that is certain is that there will be more crises, whether due to natural causes, climate change-related or man-made ones such as the recent financial crisis."

G8 / G20 Costs Reach $833 Million

The largest security exercise in Canadian history will cost more than $833 Million dollars. With security concerns ranging from protests to terrorists all efforts are being taken to ensure that the summits are safe.

Some have suggested that such a meeting should be held on an aircraft carrier in the middle of the ocean which might have been far less expensive and have less security issues.

For a video news clip on the newly released security budget go to:


http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20100525/g8-g20-security-bill-100525/20100525?hub=TopStoriesV2

Photo: June 17 2002, Kananaskis AB - G8 Summit

Air Defence Anti Tank system and Bombadier Tyler Twohig of 4 AD Regiment based out of Moncton NB deployed as part of Operation GRIZZLY. Operation GRIZZLY was the name of the Canadian Forces support to the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade and the RCMP for the G8 Conference in Kananaskis AB in 2002.
Photo: Sgt. David Snashall Canadian Forces Combat Camera

G8 Transforms Huntsville

Eight of the world's most powerful leaders will be arriving in Huntsville (pop. 19,000) in less than 4 weeks, transforming the quiet vacation destination into a world stage. Along with the leaders, their entourages, thousands of security personnel, media, protesters and those who are just interested in seeing what is going on will descend on Huntsville more than doubling the small communities population.

For an interesting article on the impacts that Huntsville is seeing

http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/813043--g8-brings-trepidation-in-huntsville

Anarchists bomb bank - threaten G8/G20

Back on May 1st we wrote about Anarchists and Black Bloc protest tactics and how some groups were preparing for the G20.

Canada has seen protests before and small riots before, but some groups are proclaiming that they are going to take things up a notch... and they set an example in Ottawa by fire bombing a bank accusing the bank of supporting the Winter Olympics (yes, this is now May and the Olympics ended in February) referring to the disagreements that some First Nations people had with the land claim issues in British Columbia.

Emergency planners for Huntsville and Toronto take note.

You can be sure that security planners are taking this threat very seriously... and you can be sure that a very small portion of the anarchists are looking for confrontation and will create it.

Here is a story on the Ottawa fire bombing.


http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/811291--anarchist-group-claims-responsibility-for-ottawa-bank-firebombing


http://www.ottawasun.com/news/ottawa/2010/05/18/13988216.html

Florida Trip Turns Tragic

This past week I had opportunity to travel to Florida to inspect a new mobile command post / emergency support unit before it is delivered to Ontario. While on the trip we had opportunity to meet up with a group from Ottawa Fire who were at the same manufacturer and were staying at our hotel. They were there inspecting and training on a new Bronto fire apparatus.

We had opportunity to go out to dinner with the Ottawa team the first night, swap stories around the pool, and meet for breakfasts. Unfortunately on the 3rd day of the trip one of the Ottawa contingent passed away in the night.

Maynard McEwan was well respected by his peers who were devastated by his passing.

Our deepest sympathies to Maynard's family and co-workers. He was only 59.


http://www.ottawacitizen.com/Fire+service+suffers+loss+mechanical+officer/3020820/story.html

G8 / G20 - Where will the protests be?

With the G8 in Huntsville and the G20 in Toronto - protest groups have to determine where they will get the most attention and most are choosing Toronto.

With the potential of 40,000 protesters people in Huntsville are breathing a little easier. It doesn't mean that there won't be issues, but the large numbers of people initially expected at the G8 will be significantly reduced.

An interesting article on the decisions being made by protest groups can be found at

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/810103--leaders-papier-mache-heads-to-appear-at-g20-not-g8

Bomb Threat on Vancouver Bound Jet

Canadian Forces CF18s escorted a Cathay Pacific jet with 200 passengers to the Vancouver airport following a bomb threat.

For the story go to thestar.com link below.

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/810111--bomb-threat-forces-fighter-jets-to-escort-plane-to-vancouver?bn=1

Canadian Technology to save lives in earthquakes

In collaboration with the University of Ottawa, National Research Council Canada (NRC) is developing high performance structures that incorporate high performance concrete and advanced composite materials to help make critical structures more shock-resistant. The materials are made of fibre-reinforced polymers. By adding a shock absorber, the new construction materials could improve the safety of critical infrastructure in Canada and around the world.

As well as developing new technology, NRC indicated that they are developing a risk management approach, which involves identifying public infrastructure that is critical. The goal would then be to incorporate shock-resistant materials into key structures at critical stress points—such as the load-bearing columns holding up a highway overpass—in order to provide adequate strength and safety margins, and extend their service life.

After NRC's new building materials and systems have been fully evaluated, including testing that simulates the effects of blast or heavy impacts, they will be made available to Canadian companies and critical infrastructure owners.

Check out the NRC website at http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/index.html

Haiti earthquake: Update on Canadians

On May 4 Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada indicated that 1,911 Canadians have been located; 0 Canadians are unaccounted for; 4,620 have been evacuated on 49 flights; and 58 have been confirmed dead.

In other news today: CBC reported that high winds and blowing snow on May 4 & 5 again knocked out power to southern Alberta, this time, 50,000 homes were without electricity. The storm affected Calgary and surrounding areas with Taber and Medicine Hat experiencing the most blackouts.

G8/G20 and Protesters

"Day to day, the tentacles of global capitalism threaten to choke the life from us, and opportunities to attack its nucleus rarely present themselves. Rest assured that when the G20 comes within striking distance this June, we won’t miss."

The above quote is from an anarchist website promoting protests in Toronto this June.

Major meetings of global leaders also bring protesters of many different causes, most peaceful but others intent on creating confrontation. A movement of protesters referred to as the Black Bloc has appeared at major events including previous G8 and G20 meetings and the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, dressed in black with their faces covered. (The photos attached are from the Vancouver Olympics earlier this year.)

Black Bloc is not a group, but a method of protest. Internet website provide instructions for Black Bloc protesters including: clothing recommendations to participate in the Black Bloc, “unarresting” or freeing someone who has been arrested, “de-bloc’ing” (tactics to change appearance and fade into the background), defeating police tactics, defensive weapons, etc. Instructions on attacks of police lines, counter-attacks, diversionary moves, flanking, creating barricades to stop police (including burning vehicles), and other tactics are also on these websites.

While, confrontational groups make up a small percentage of the 40,000 anticipated protesters, that still leaves a significant potential for violence, vandalism, and crowd management issues.

And don't expect it to be a one day event. One website states "We strongly encourage all those who would fight alongside us to also support the other actions called for from the 21st through the 27th."

It may be a long hot week in June...