Fact sheet
Smaller communities of Manitoba
In 2014, information on the emergency preparedness of people living in ‘smaller communities’ of Manitoba was collected through the Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada (SEPR).Note 1Note 2Note 3 This fact sheet presents information on the risk awareness and level of emergency preparedness of the residents of Manitoba’s smaller communities, which could help improve the understanding of community resilience in the event of an emergency.Note 4
Risk awareness and anticipated sources of help in an emergency or disaster
- People living in the smaller communities of Manitoba anticipated winter storms (including blizzards, ice storms and extreme cold) (95%), extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (74%) and tornadoes (59%) as the events most likely to occur in their communities.
- Residents most commonly anticipated turning to their utility company as an initial source for help and information if they were faced with an extended power outage lasting 24 hours or longer (64%), and to a hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional in the event of an outbreak of a serious or life-threatening disease (62%). Residents anticipated turning to police or law enforcement in the event of rioting or civil unrest (44%Note E: Use with caution) or an act of terrorism or terrorist threat (39%Note E: Use with caution), and to local government if they faced a contamination or shortage of water or food (40%) (Table 1.1).
- Residents also stated that they would seek out news on the radio in the event of a weather-related emergency or natural disaster (25%) or an industrial or transportation accident (15%Note E: Use with caution).
Prior lifetime experience with a major emergency or disasterNote 5
- Over one-third (36%) of residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba have faced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community they were living in at the time of the event, two-thirds (68%) of whom reported experiencing severe disruptions to their daily activities as a result of the event.
- Winter storms which include blizzards and ice storms (29%Note E: Use with caution), floods (25%Note E: Use with caution) and extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (23%Note E: Use with caution) were the most commonly experienced emergencies or disasters by residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba.
- The most common types of disruption to daily activities endured by residents who had experienced major emergencies or disasters included missing work or school (69%) and missing an appointment or planned activity (49%).Note 6 More severe disruptions experienced were an inability to use roads or transportation in the community (39%), home evacuation (20%Note E: Use with caution) and an inability to communicate outside the household (9%Note E: Use with caution).
- Nearly three-quarters (72%) of residents who experienced an emergency or disaster were able to resume their daily activities within one week of the event; one-half (48%Note E: Use with caution) within two days or less.
- More than half (57%) of residents who had experienced an emergency or disaster received help during or immediately following the event, most commonly from a neighbour (35%Note E: Use with caution) or a family member (23%Note E: Use with caution).
- Nearly one-third (31%Note E: Use with caution) of residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba 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 significant enough to disrupt their regular daily routine also endured a loss of property or financial impact. Long-term emotional or psychological consequences were experienced by 9%Note E: Use with caution of individuals affected by a major emergency or disaster.
Emergency planning, precautionary and fire safety behaviours
- Seven out of ten (69%) people residing in the smaller communities of Manitoba lived in households that were engaged in at least two emergency planning activities,Note 7 and four in ten (42%) lived in households with three or four such activities (Table 1.2). Less than one in ten (7%Note E: Use with caution) people lived in a household that had not participated in any emergency planning activities.
- Six in ten (61%) lived in a household with at least two precautionary measuresNote 8 taken in case of an emergency, and more than one-third (36%) lived in a household with three or four such measures. More than one in ten (13%) people lived in a household with no precautionary measures in place.
- Most (98%) residents reported living in a household with a working smoke detector, and the majority (69%) reported living in a household with a working fire extinguisher (Table 1.3). Half (49%) of residents stated that they had a working carbon monoxide detector in their household. However, less than four in ten (37%) residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba stated that they had implemented all three fire safety measures with their households.
- There were some significant differences in the number of emergency planning activities and precautionary measures taken by residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba and residents of Manitoba in general. For example, the proportion of residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba reported less often that they had not participated in any emergency planning activities (7%Note E: Use with caution) and had no precautionary measures in place (13%) compared to residents of Manitoba (10% and 20%, respectively). In addition, residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba were significantly more likely to have all four precautionary measures in place (10%Note E: Use with caution) than Manitobans in general (5%)Note 9.
- There were some differences in the types of activities and measures set in place by residents of smaller communities in Manitoba when compared to Manitoba and Canada’s 10 provinces in general. In terms of emergency planning activities, the proportion of residents of smaller communities in Manitoba who had a vehicle emergency supply kit (73%) and a designated meeting place for household members (48%) was significantly higher than Manitobans and Canadians in general. Residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba were more likely to have an alternate water source (58%) and a back-up generator (37%) than residents in Manitoba and Canada in general. Residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba were less likely to have a working carbon monoxide detector than those in Manitoba and Canada; however, they were more likely to have a working fire extinguisher when compared to residents of Manitoba.
Social networks and sense of belonging
- Nearly two-thirds (64%) of residents of the smaller communities of Manitoba had a strong sense of belongingNote 10 to their community.
- Most (93%) 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, most (82%) still described it as a place where neighbours would help each other in an emergency.Note 12
- More than two-thirds of individuals had a large network of support in the event of an emergency or disaster, with more than five people to turn to for help if physically injured (71%), for emotional support (69%), as well as in case of a home evacuation (69%). One-third of residents had a large support network if financial help was needed (33%). However, 8% reported that they had no one to turn to for financial help.
- High levels of sense of belonging and neighbourhood trust, as well as civic engagement, 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 disasterTable 1.1, Note 1 | |
News- Radio | 25 |
News- Internet | 21 |
Family | 14Note E: Use with caution |
Extended power outages | |
Utility company | 64 |
Family | 11Note E: Use with caution |
News- Radio | 7Note E: Use with caution |
Outbreak of serious or life-threatening disease | |
Hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional | 62 |
News- Internet | 11Note E: Use with caution |
News- Radio | 8Note E: Use with caution |
Industrial or transportation accident | |
News- Radio | 15Note E: Use with caution |
911 | 15Note E: Use with caution |
Police/law enforcement | 14Note E: Use with caution |
Contamination or shortage of water or foodTable 1.1, Note 1 | |
Local government | 40 |
Act of terrorism or terrorist threat | |
Police/law enforcement | 39Note E: Use with caution |
Rioting or civil unrest | |
Police/law enforcement | 44Note E: Use with caution |
E use with caution
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Number of planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by residents | Smaller communities of Manitoba | Manitoba | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Number of emergency planning activities | |||
None | 7Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note * | 10 | 8 |
1 activity | 21 | 19 | 17 |
2 activities | 27 | 25 | 25 |
3 activities | 25 | 27 | 27 |
4 activities | 17 | 16 | 19 |
Number of precautionary measures | |||
None | 13Table 1.2, Note * | 20 | 16 |
1 measure | 23 | 28 | 27 |
2 measures | 25 | 26 | 28 |
3 measures | 26Table 1.2, Note *** | 18 | 20 |
4 measures | 10Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note * | 5 | 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 | 15 | 15 | 14 |
2 measures | 42 | 37 | 38 |
3 measures | 37 | 41 | 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: | Smaller communities of Manitoba | Manitoba | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Emergency planning activities | |||
Emergency exit plan | 62 | 64 | 60 |
Exit plan has been practised/reviewed in last 12 monthsTable 1.3, Note 1 | 47 | 42 | 46 |
Designated meeting place for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 48Table 1.3, Note *** | 39 | 33 |
Contact plan for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 58 | 53 | 55 |
Household emergency supply kit | 42 | 41 | 47 |
Vehicle emergency supply kitTable 1.3, Note 3 | 73Table 1.3, Note *** | 67 | 59 |
Extra copies of important documents | 49 | 50 | 53 |
List of emergency contact numbers | 69 | 65 | 69 |
Plan for meeting special health needsTable 1.3, Note 4 | 69 | 62 | 62 |
Precautionary measures | |||
Wind-up or battery-operated radio | 53 | 51 | 58 |
Alternate heat source | 48Table 1.3, Note * | 41 | 48 |
Back-up generator | 37Table 1.3, Note *** | 21 | 23 |
Alternate water source | 58Table 1.3, Note *** | 44 | 43 |
OtherTable 1.3, Note 5 | 18 | 19 | 21 |
Fire safety measures | |||
Working smoke detector | 98 | 97 | 98 |
Working carbon monoxide detector | 49Table 1.3, Note *** | 60 | 60 |
Working fire extinguisher | 69Table 1.3, Note * | 63 | 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 † | 45 | 39 | 34 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 35Note E: Use with caution | 28Note E: Use with caution | 40Note E: Use with caution |
High level of civic engagementTable 1.4, Note 2 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 48 | 37 | 38 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 35Note * | 34 | 33 |
High level of social supportTable 1.4, Note 3 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 46 | 37 | 40 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 40 | 37 | 37 |
Strong sense of belonging to communityTable 1.4, Note 4 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 48 | 40 | 41 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7Table 1.4, Note 8 | 33Table 1.4, Note * | 32Note E: Use with caution | 31Note E: Use with caution |
High neighbourhood trustTable 1.4, Note 5 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 45 | 43 | 43 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 40 | 30Table 1.4, Note * | 32 |
High level of self-efficacyTable 1.4, Note 6 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 48 | 36 | 38 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 38 | 38 | 39 |
E use with caution
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Notes
E use with caution
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