Fact sheet
Community of Windsor (CMA), Ontario
In 2014, information on the emergency preparedness of people living in the Census Metropolitan AreaNote 1 of Windsor was collected through the Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada (SEPR).Note 2 This fact sheet presents information on the risk awareness and level of emergency preparedness of the residents of Windsor, which could help improve the understanding of community resilience in the event of an emergency.Note 3Note 4
Risk awareness and anticipated sources of help in an emergency or disaster
- Winter storms (including blizzards, ice storms and extreme cold) (86%), extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (71%) and heat waves (65%) were named by residents of Windsor as the events most likely to occur in their community.
- For almost all types of emergencies or disasters, Windsor residents most commonly anticipated turning to news on the radio as an initial source of assistance and information (Table 1.1). More specifically, radio news was listed as the first source of help if faced with a weather-related emergency or natural disaster (39%), an industrial or transportation accident (39%), an act of terrorism or terrorist threat (39%), a contamination or shortage of water or food (33%), rioting or civil unrest (33%Note E: Use with caution), or an extended power outage (30%).
- In the event of an outbreak of a serious or life-threatening disease, residents frequently stated that hospitals, clinics, doctors or other medical professionals were the most commonly anticipated sources of initial assistance and information (42%).
Prior lifetime experience with a major emergency or disasterNote 5
- About four in ten (42%) Windsor residents have experienced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community where they were living at the time. For most (79%), this emergency or disaster was significant enough to have resulted in severe disruptions to their daily activities.
- Extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (80%) were the most commonly experienced emergency or disaster by residents of Windsor, followed by winter storms (20%Note E: Use with caution) (including blizzards and ice storms).
- The most common types of disruption to daily activities by residents who experienced emergencies or disasters included an inability to heat or cool their home (79%), as well as an inability to use electrical appliances (78%). More severe disruptions were experienced less frequently, including an inability to use roads or transportation within the community (19%Note E: Use with caution), being unable to communicate outside the home (15%Note E: Use with caution) and home evacuations (10%Note E: Use with caution).
- Approximately nine in ten (93%) residents who experienced an emergency or disaster were able to resume their daily activities within one week of the event, with close to two-thirds (64%) in two days or less.
- About half (48%) of residents who had experienced an emergency or disaster received help during or immediately following the event, most commonly from neighbours (39%Note E: Use with caution) and family (32%Note E: Use with caution).
- Approximately three in ten (28%) residents of Windsor who experienced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community where they were living at the time of the event and which was severe enough to disrupt their regular daily activities also endured a loss of property or some kind of a financial impact.
Emergency planning, precautionary and fire safety behaviours
- Approximately three-quarters (74%) of Windsor residents lived in a household that engaged in at least two emergency planning activities,Note 6 with just over half (53%) living in a household with three or four such activities (Table 1.2). Close to one in ten (8%Note E: Use with caution) people in Windsor lived in a household that had not participated in any emergency planning activities.
- Over half (58%) of Windsor residents lived in a household with at least two precautionary measuresNote 7 taken in case of an emergency, with about one-quarter (23%) living in a household with three or four such measures. Inversely, over one in ten residents (14%) lived in a household with no precautionary measures in place.
- The majority (99%) of residents reported living in a household with a working smoke detector, while just over two-thirds (68%) reported living in a household with a working fire extinguisher (Table 1.3). Eight in ten (80%) stated that they had a working carbon monoxide detector in their household. Over half (58%) of Windsor residents stated that they had implemented all three fire safety measures within their households.
- The number of emergency planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by Windsor residents did not significantly differ from residents of Ontario as a whole. When compared with residents of Canada’s 10 provinces, however, Windsor residents were less likely to have all four precautionary measures in place than Canadians in general (4%Note E: Use with caution versus 7%), however, they were more likely to have implemented all three fire safety measures (58% versus 42%).Note 8
- There were few differences among the types of activities and measures set in place by residents of Windsor when compared with residents of Ontario and Canada in general. When significant differences did exist, a higher proportion of Windsor residents had implemented the selected activity or measure. For instance, Windsor residents were more likely to report having a designated meeting place for household members than residents of Ontario overall (39% versus 30%), and they were more likely than Canadians to report having a contact plan for household members (62% versus 55%).
Social networks and sense of belonging
- Over half (59%) of Windsor residents had a strong sense of belongingNote 9 to their community.Note 10
- Most (88%) residents described the neighbourhood they lived in as a place where neighbours generally help each other.Note 11 Of those who did not describe their neighbourhood this way, the majority (68%) still described it as a place where neighbours would at least help each other in an emergency.Note 12
- Approximately two-thirds of residents had a strong network of support in the event of an emergency or disaster, with more than five people to turn to for emotional support (68%), for help if physically injured (62%), as well as in the event of a home evacuation (61%). Just under three in ten (28%) residents had a large support network if financial help was needed, and 13% reported that they had no one to turn to for financial help.Note 13
- High levels of self-efficacy, sense of belonging and social support, as well as engagement in civic and political activities, were sometimes associated with a higher level of emergency preparedness (Table 1.4).
Data tables
Most common sources of initial help and information by type of emergency or disaster | percent |
---|---|
Weather-related emergency or natural disaster | |
News- Radio | 39 |
News- Television | 28 |
News- Internet | 25 |
Extended power outages | |
News- Radio | 30 |
Utility company | 28 |
Family | 19Note E: Use with caution |
Outbreak of serious or life-threatening disease | |
Hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional | 42 |
News- Radio | 30 |
News- Television | 28 |
Industrial or transportation accident | |
News- Radio | 39 |
News- Television | 29 |
News- Internet | 22 |
Contamination or shortage of water or food | |
News- Radio | 33 |
News- Television | 24 |
News- Internet | 22Note E: Use with caution |
Act of terrorism or terrorist threat | |
News- Radio | 39 |
News- Television | 37 |
News- Internet | 23 |
Rioting or civil unrest | |
News- Radio | 33Note E: Use with caution |
News- Television | 32Note E: Use with caution |
News- Internet | 26Note E: Use with caution |
E use with caution Note: Respondents who perceived their community was at risk for any form of emergency or disaster were then asked where they would turn to first for information or assistance in the event of the perceived emergency or disaster. Respondents could provide more than one response. Responses of 'don't know/not stated' are included in the total for the percentage calculation but are not footnoted when representing 5% or less of respondents. Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Number of planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by residents | Windsor | Ontario | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Number of emergency planning activities | |||
None | 8 Note E: Use with caution | 8 | 8 |
1 activity | 14 | 16 | 17 |
2 activities | 21 | 25 | 25 |
3 activities | 29 | 28 | 27 |
4 activities | 24 | 21 | 19 |
Number of precautionary measures | |||
None | 14 | 15 | 16 |
1 measure | 26 | 28 | 27 |
2 measures | 35Table 1.2, Note ** | 29 | 28 |
3 measures | 19 | 20 | 20 |
4 measures | 4Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note ** | 6 | 7 |
Number of fire safety measuresTable 1.2, Note 1 | |||
None | Note F: too unreliable to be published | Note F: too unreliable to be published | 1 |
1 measure | 8Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note ** | 7 | 14 |
2 measures | 32Table 1.2, Note ** | 35 | 38 |
3 measures | 58Table 1.2, Note ** | 53 | 42 |
E use with caution F too unreliable to be published
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Residents whose households were involved in the following: | Windsor | Ontario | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Emergency planning activities | |||
Emergency exit plan | 66 | 63 | 60 |
Exit plan has been practised/reviewed in last 12 monthsTable 1.3, Note 1 | 47 | 47 | 46 |
Designated meeting place for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 39Table 1.3, Note * | 30 | 33 |
Contact plan for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 62Table 1.3, Note ** | 57 | 55 |
Household emergency supply kit | 44 | 47 | 47 |
Vehicle emergency supply kitTable 1.3, Note 3 | 59 | 62 | 59 |
Extra copies of important documents | 61Table 1.3, Note ** | 56 | 53 |
List of emergency contact numbers | 73 | 71 | 69 |
Plan for meeting special health needsTable 1.3, Note 4 | 58 | 61 | 62 |
Precautionary measures | |||
Wind-up or battery-operated radio | 62 | 59 | 58 |
Alternate heat source | 44 | 46 | 48 |
Back-up generator | 19 | 20 | 23 |
Alternate water source | 47 | 44 | 43 |
OtherTable 1.3, Note 5 | 18 | 22 | 21 |
Fire safety measures | |||
Working smoke detector | 99Table 1.3, Note ** | 99 | 98 |
Working carbon monoxide detector | 80Table 1.3, Note ** | 80 | 60 |
Working fire extinguisher | 68 | 64 | 66 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Social and political involvement | Percentage of residents who had high or moderately high levels of... | ||
---|---|---|---|
Planning activities | Precautionary measures | Fire safety measures | |
percent | |||
Engagement in political activitiesTable 1.4, Note 1 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 53 | 27 | 64 |
No | 56 | Note F: too unreliable to be published | 43Table 1.4, Note * |
High level of civic engagementTable 1.4, Note 2 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 56 | 27 | 68 |
No | 52 | 18Note E: Use with caution | 44Table 1.4, Note * |
High level of social supportTable 1.4, Note 3 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 60 | 26Note E: Use with caution | 69 |
No | 51 | 24 | 54Table 1.4, Note * |
Strong sense of belonging to communityTable 1.4, Note 4 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 60 | 28 | 59 |
No | 43Table 1.4, Note * | 18Note E: Use with caution | 57 |
High neighbourhood trustTable 1.4, Note 5 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 54 | 31 | 65 |
No | 54 | 20Note E: Use with caution | 54 |
High level of self-efficacyTable 1.4, Note 6 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 61 | 28 | 63 |
No | 45Table 1.4, Note * | 20Note E: Use with caution | 53 |
E use with caution F too unreliable to be published
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Notes
E use with caution
- Date modified: