IAAC helps to inform residents through REAP
by Michelle Minnoch

Members of the IAAC, including Rick, above, participated in the afternoon session. photo by Michelle Minnoch

The IAAC (Innisfil Accessibility Advisory Committee) held a REAP (Resident Emergency Assistance Plan) session on Saturday at the Stroud Community Centre.

Representatives from the paramedics, CNIB, Canadian Paraplegic Association, Simcoe County Association for the Physically Disabled and from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit were onhand to answer any questions. The South Simcoe Police also participated, with a demonstration from Const. Matt Tomlin and Ronin from the K9 Unit.

Deputy Fire Chief and Innisfil's Community Management Co-ordinator Jim Ferry said the information was very important from an emergency preparedness stand point.

Attending the session was MP Peter Van Loan and MPP Julia Munro.

"Emergency preparedness is something people didn't think of ten years ago," noted Van Loan.

Munro concurred, stating residents need a better sense of preparation.

Mayor Brian Jackson said it was very important for the community to have awareness. He said the town had the foremost emergency plan and if disaster would strike, the town has preparations in place to be on its own for 72 hours.

Ernie Hills of Emergency Management Ontario addressed the audience, saying we all need to be prepared for anything. He said in 2005, more than half of the declared emergencies in Ontario were as a result of aging infrastructure. He said water system failures were one of the contributions.

He also spoke about the emerging threat of terrorism, and possible new emerging viruses.

He said when disasters do strike, about 40% of businesses do not re-open, and 20% of the businesses that do re-open, close within the following two years.

He stressed the importance of a 72 hour emergency kit, and the need to have cash on-hand, especially if there is a blackout and all ATM and debit machines are down.

Ferry said it is of the utmost importance that when fire, police or paramedics are answering a call, that they are aware if there is someone with a limitation at the scene.

Ferries handed out copies of a confidential and voluntary REAP form to the crowd. The information, only view by Ferry, will let those arriving onsite aware if they are dealing with an individual with impairment, mobility aids, service dog, etc.

"If we have this information beforehand, it makes the job go a lot smoother when we get to the site," he said.

"In my duties as Deputy Fire Chief, it's important we pre-plan as much as we can before getting to a call. We needed a tool to tell us where the vulnerable people are."

The information form will be distributed in the fall with the Parks and Rec book. Residents who need assistance are encouraged to fill out the form and return it to Ferry at the fire department.