In the words of ACER’s science advisory council, “It has been said that history repeats itself because no one was listening the first time. Similarly, lessons not learned from past severe weather events and their impacts are due to be repeated unless we have good data about the past.
Today, because of a lack of monitoring, there are huge gaps in our knowledge of past extreme weather events in Ontario communities. It is important we glean all the information we can so we can anticipate what is needed for the future.”
This is where you come in!
Step #1
You can help by researching historical events showing community damages. This information can be best abstracted from local newspapers and journals.
Step #2
Once you’ve completed your research, simply fill in the form below to submit the information to ACER.
Step #3
In the event of an emergency, government services might not be available to help you right away. You will likely need to be able to take care of yourself and your family for at least 72 hours without electricity or perhaps even running water.
Be prepared: click here to learn how to build a 72+ hour kit.
Documentation of the impacts of historical events will go into improved estimates of extreme events and understanding of the sensitivity of community assets to these storms. All of this information helps in making the right choices for safety when developing designs for a sustainable community since building codes can only be changed using evidence-based data.