Simcoe Muskoka Pandemic Report findings released

The County of Simcoe and the District of Muskoka released today the Joint Findings on the Simcoe Muskoka Pandemic Exercise 'Operation Fever Phix'.

This report identifies findings and recommendations based on the large scale 2006 year-end emergency exercise held in Orillia, Ontario. The release of this comprehensive report will foster the implementation of action plans that were recommended by exercise participants.

'Operation Fever Phix' was held jointly by the District Municipality of Muskoka and the County of Simcoe in conjunction with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit.

More than 240 senior officials from the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, the County of Simcoe and its member municipalities, the District of Muskoka as well as a number of police service agencies, fire service agencies, First Nations, health care, emergency and community service agencies, media and private sector industries all participated in this extensive tabletop emergency exercise.

Press fulfilled a dual role in this exercise as both participants in the exercise and by providing news coverage of the event.

The exercise simulated a pandemic with origins in Asia that spread to the west coast of Canada and then to Ontario and specifically Simcoe County and Muskoka District. The exercise was hailed a success with each sector group identifying strengths and weaknesses in current plans and compiling recommendations for improved protection and communications measures.

"The scale of this exercise was unprecedented for Simcoe County and Muskoka District and the involvement of so many agencies was tremendous," stated Simcoe County Warden Tony Guergis. "The goal was to identify areas where we as public agencies need to work more closely together to improve protection measures as well as ensuring the critical role of media in sharing emergency messages with the public is strengthened. This exercise proved we are doing many things the right way. It also showed that we can tighten up some processes to ensure more seamless protection. Our goal is the public's protection."

"Both Muskoka District and Simcoe County recognized the critically important role that media agencies play in crisis and emergency situations," remarked Muskoka District Chair Gord Adams. "We rely on the media as a vital delivery mechanism in order to help ensure careful and metered dissemination of factual safety information to the public.

We look forward to further discussions with willing media representatives over the coming months to help build even more solid communications plans and processes. Public security is paramount. "