How We Keep Our Community Safe
Emergency preparedness in our community is led by local municipalities, with support from organizations like the WECHU. During emergencies such as severe storms or evacuations, public health supports the response, but we are not first responders.
Public Health Emergencies
In a public health emergency, such as a disease outbreak or pandemic, the WECHU will lead the response. This includes activities such as:
- Investigating cases
- Contact tracing
- Providing vaccines
- Sharing clear public information
- Work closely with municipal, provincial, and federal partners
The WECHU works daily to prevent emergencies before they happen. This includes activities such as:
- Promoting healthy behaviours to prevent illness and injury
- Managing and reducing the spread of diseases
- Providing vaccines to protect the community
- Inspecting restaurants for safe food handling
- Monitoring diseases in our region
Understanding Hazards in Our Community
The WECHU completes an annual Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment (HIRA). This assessment helps us identify possible health hazards, understand the impact of the hazard on our community, and help us to prepare for or reduce their impact.
Based on the HIRA, these hazards were ranked as the highest risk to our community. Risk means how likely an event is to occur and how much it could affect our community.
Top Risks in Windsor-Essex County
* while the probability of a nuclear emergency is very low, WEC is within the planning zone of Fermi II in Michigan, which requires additional planning