The Regional Municipality of York to conduct annual emergency exercise on Monday, May 26th

NEWMARKET – The Regional Municipality of York will hold its annual emergency exercise this Monday, May 26th, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.   The exercise, dubbed Operation: On the Move-Spring Thaw, will involve a simulated flood that will include York Region opening its Regional Emergency Operations Centre (REOC) at the York Region Administrative Centre, located at 17250 Yonge Street in the Town of Newmarket.

 

The exercise, builds on York Region's monitoring of high water levels in Lake Simcoe and the increased potential for flooding earlier this spring in the low-lying areas of King Township and the Towns of Georgina and East Gwillimbury.

 

The exercise will also involve a mock evacuation of the Maple Health Centre, located at 10424 Keele Street in the City of Vaughan. Mock evacuees, played by staff volunteers, will be transported by York Region Transit (YRT) to the Newmarket Health Centre, located at 194 Eagle Street in the Town of Newmarket.  The mock evacuation will begin at 9 a.m. at the Maple Health Centre and evacuees are expected to arrive at the Newmarket Health Centre by 11:30 a.m.

 

Exercise participants include:

 

• York Region Emergency Management
• York Region Community and Health Services (Long-Term Care and Seniors Branch)
• York Regional Police
• York Region Emergency Medical Services (EMS)
• York Region Transit (YRT)
• City of Vaughan Fire and Rescue Services
 
WHAT: The Regional Municipality of York Annual Emergency Exercise

 

WHEN: Monday, May 26th, 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

 

WHERE: York Region Administrative Centre, 17250 Yonge Street, Town of Newmarket

 

  (Mock evacuation: Maple Health Centre, 10424 Keele Street, City of Vaughan, 9 a.m.)

 

For more information on The Regional Municipality of York, please visit www.york.ca

 

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Media Contact: Ken Turriff, Corporate Communications, York Region
 Phone: (905) 830-4444 / toll-free 1-877-464-9675, Ext. 1226
 Cell: (905) 251-6415 / Email: ken.turriff@york.ca

 

Jennifer Mitchell-Emmerson, Community and Health Services, York Region
Phone: (905) 830-4444 / toll-free 1-877-464-9675, Ext. 4016
Cell: 905-955-2533 / Email: jennifer.mitchellemmerson@york.ca