The City of Burlington and our partners are prepared to quickly respond to protect you and your family in case of an emergency or disaster. Everyone has a role to play in preparedness and safety. By doing a few basic things to prepare yourself, your family and your business, you can help protect what is important to you.
Alert Burlington is Burlington’s public notification system for community emergencies. Residents and anyone who works within Burlington are encouraged to subscribe to the free community alert service.
Learn more about Alert Burlington and register for emergency notifications...
It is recommended that everyone log into their account once a year to ensure contact information is correct.
It's important that you and your family have a step-by-step action plan in case of emergencies. Involve all your family members in the planning process and regularly discuss and update your plan.
For ideas on creating an emergency plan, check out the Emergency Preparedness Guide.
Not everyone may be able to have a full emergency kit, but everyone should try to have the basics on hand. It's a good idea to have an emergency kit for both your home and vehicle that includes the following items:
If possible, a larger emergency kit should be able to take care of you and your family for up to three days. To cover food, water and hygiene needs, your kit should contain at least:
When creating an emergency and disaster plan, consider the potential emergency situations or disasters you could face. Not all emergencies are the same. Review some potential emergencies and how to prepare for them.
Infectious disease outbreaks |
If there is a respiratory (airborne) infectious disease outbreak, the most important thing to do is visit your local public health website and follow recommendations to prevent and contain the spread of the disease. Respiratory infections are spread by small droplets in the air that can stay on surfaces. To prevent the spread:
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Floods |
Flash floods happen when intense thunderstorms drop a large amount of water in a short time. They can happen with little or no warning. If you are at home:
If you are outdoors:
If you are in a vehicle:
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Power outage |
In case of a power outage:
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Severe winter storm |
Bitter cold and severe winter storms kill more than 100 people in Canada every year. That is more than the number of Canadians killed by tornadoes, thunderstorms, lightning, floods, hurricanes and heat waves combined. If you are indoors:
If you are outdoors:
If you are in a vehicle:
If you are trapped in a vehicle or if your vehicle has stalled:
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Depending on the type of emergency, you may be required to shelter-in-place or evacuate your home, neighbourhood or the city. Learn what to do during these types of emergencies.
Shelter-in-place orders |
During a fire or hazardous spill event, you may be advised to stay in your home or vehicle. If you have been advised to shelter-in-place, you should:
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Evacuation orders |
During some emergencies, you may need to evacuate the surrounding area. In case of an emergency evacuation, you should:
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The Burlington Fire Department offers stickers for residents to place on their doors to inform firefighters of the type and number of pets their home. To get one, visit Fire Department Headquarters located at 1255 Fairview Street or the Burlington Humane Society on 740 Griffith Court during regular business hours.
Emergency preparedness week is a national preparedness event supported by Public Safety Canada that takes place the first week of May every year. Everyone has a role to play in an emergency. Emergency Preparedness week is an opportunity to take action to ensure you are ready!
Learn how to prepare yourself and your family for emergencies.
Over the years, the City of Burlington has teamed up with various regional and community partners from nearby areas to create and regularly update the City’s Emergency Response Plan. This plan is an important part of the Emergency and Continuity Management Program Bylaw. If you want to learn more, you can check out the Emergency Management Bylaw (02-2023) for additional information.