Emergency Preparedness
- Have you been a victim of a disaster (fire, flood, power blackout, etc.)?
- Do you want to know what to do during or after a disaster?
- Do you want to know how you can protect yourself against potential disasters?
- Do you want information so you and your family
can be prepared?
- Are you looking for references and resources?
Visit the Web portal of the Government of Québec
entitled Que
faire avant, pendant et après un sinistre ? 
(in French only).
Although you are responsible for your own safety, the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux, through its Coordination ministérielle en protection civile (ministerial coordination unit for civil protection), will take steps to protect the health and welfare of the population.
The coordination ministérielle (ministerial coordination unit), a partner in emergency preparedness
As provided in the Civil
Protection Act (Bill 173), the Minister
of Public Security establishes and maintains, in
conjunction with the other ministers, a national civil
protection plan for Québec designed to provide
support to civil protection authorities where the magnitude
of a major disaster risk or of an actual or imminent
major disaster exceeds their capacity for action in
the areas under their jurisdiction. The national civil
protection plan determines, in keeping with the respective
jurisdictions of government ministries and agencies,
the specific actions that each of them must be prepared
to take to achieve the objectives of the plan.
These specific actions are described in the various
missions found in the national
civil protection plan.
Mission
For its part, the Coordination ministérielle (ministerial coordination unit), which represents the MSSS in matters of emergency preparedness, defines the mission to be deployed in the event of a disaster by the various components of the health and social services network.
« The mission of the health and social services network in matters of emergency preparedness is to protect human life, health and well-being. »
This mission involves four areas of intervention supported by common communication resources. These areas of intervention, which are implemented at various stages depending on the circumstances, are as follows:
- Maintenance of health and social services activities, based on a client-focused approach and with the objective of ensuring the continuity of activities taking place before the disaster;
- Physical health, based on an individual approach and with the objectives of saving as many lives as possible and reducing morbidity;
- Public health, based on a population approach and with the objectives of identifying situations that endanger public health and implementing the measures required to protect the population;
- Psychosocial intervention, based on a community approach and with the objectives of minimizing psychosocial impacts and facilitating the return to normal life for disaster victims, their families, service providers and the general population.
To assume its responsibility for the health component of the emergency preparedness mission, the Coordination ministérielle of the MSSS uses the resources of the health and social services network. In the context of this mission, the term network designates the health and social services network in the broadest sense, including regional health and social services boards, healthcare institutions and community organizations.
Other Missions
Within the framework of the national
civil protection plan , the members of the Coordination
ministérielle are also responsible for activities
and support in eight other missions. These missions
are the following:
- Massive evacuation, return and security
- Shelter
- Specialized services for disaster victims
- Communications
- Housing
- Energy
- Environment
- Food and agriculture
Roles
With the MSSS, the Coordination ministérielle plays four roles:
- Mobilizer
- Communicator
- Advisor
- Organizer
With the development agencies, it plays six roles:
- Director
- Monitor
- Educator
- Facilitator
- Supporter
- Coordinator
With the Organisation de sécurité civile du Québec, it plays two roles:
- Liaison
- Supporter
