1. HIRA
This is the lesson objective

2. Legislation
“In developing its emergency management program, every municipality shall identify and assess the various hazards and risks to public safety that could give rise to emergencies and identify the facilities and other elements of the infrastructure that are at risk of being affected by emergencies.” 2002, c. 14, s. 4
EMCPA 2.1 (3). In developing its emergency management program, every municipality shall identify and assess the various hazards and risks to public safety that could give rise to emergencies and identify the facilities and other elements of the infrastructure that are at risk of being affected by emergencies. 2002, c. 14, s. 4.
Additional resources
Emergency Management Doctrine for Ontario (2010) Pg Doctrine refers to adoption of Risk Management Approach to an EM Program
Hazard Identification and Risk Assessment Workbook 2012 and
Risk Management Approach (EM Doctrine)
A risk management approach provides a recognized, flexible and effective means to reduce risk. It has direct application to emergency management and results in a tailored emergency management program to reduce high-priority risks. Organizations using risk management processes are able to identify and exploit opportunities, make good decisions quickly, respond to and adapt to unexpected events and are better equipped to meet their objectives.
The implementation of emergency management programs, based upon risk management principles, will ultimately save lives and money, protect property and the environment, maintain economic stability and enhance public confidence in the government’s ability to uphold safety and security.

3. What is HIRA
A process that identifies potential hazards that exist with a municipality’s jurisdiction and attempts to define the level of risk that each hazard presents
Completion of a HIRA results in the creation of a
Community Risk Profile
What is HIRA?
(read slide)

4. OFMEM Requirements Complete HIRA process
Complete Community Risk Profile
Review and revise on an annual basis
EMO Requirements
Read slide and note that the Community Risk Profile form contains some sections that are included for the convenience of municipality’s that elect to exceed the legislated standard and develop more risk-based approaches.
It is only mandatory for municipalities to submit a list of the existing hazards within the community, and to rank them in order based on the presumed risk that each presents.

5. Hazard Identification
HIRA Process
HIRA Process
Hazard Identification |
Risk Assessment
Risk Analysis
Monitor & Review
Note: Techniques to conduct a HIRA include: checklists, analysis, hazard studies, and historical data.
Whatever method is chosen a HIRA must be conducted to determine the range of risks that may be faced. While there are multiple
methods and processes available to conduct a HIRA, this process was initially developed by EMO an updated Ontario HIRA report was
produced in This new report has been reviewed for content and methodology by many stakeholders and experts and organizations
in the field of Risk Management and Emergency Management. Copies of the report can be downloaded from EMOs website.
These are the 4 steps to the HIRA
Step One: Identify the hazards (Ontario’s HIRA Report-39 hazards)
Effective 2011 there are now 39 hazards (there were 37 hazards)
Fixed Site and Transportation Incident are now amalgamated under Hazardous Materials Incident/Spills, and
Three new hazards have been added:
Cyber Attack
Geomagnetic Storm (disturbances in the geomagnetic field caused by gusts in the solar wind that blows by Earth )
Natural Space Object Crash (i.e. meteors etc)
Step Two:
2A - Risk Assessment Frequency
2B - Risk Assessment Consequence
2C - Changing Risk
Step Three:
Risk Analysis
Step Four:
Monitor & review

6. Hazard Identification
In this step the hazards that could impact your community are separated from those that can not. This requires a review of all hazards and their causes to determine whether they may be a threat to your community. This may require the consultation of the scientific community, historical records and government agencies. There are 39 common hazards

7. Risk Assessment
In this step the level of risk for each hazard is examined. This may involve speaking with hazard experts, researching past occurrences and possible scenarios. The likelihood of the hazard occurring and the potential impacts of the hazard on people, property, the environment, business and finance and critical infrastructure should be examined.

8. Risk Analysis
The information collected in the risk assessment step will be analyzed in this step. The desired outcome of the risk analysis is the ranking of the hazards. This highlights the hazards that should be considered a current priority for your emergency management program.

9. Monitor and Review
It is important to remember that a HIRA is an ongoing process and hazards and their associated risks must be monitored and reviewed.

10. FOI Protection
THE EMCPA provides for the protection of information gathered in the HIRA process so that it may be exempt from FOI requests

11. Risk Profile
The Risk Profile is a snapshot of your community and it allows the CEMC, the Program Committee and the EMO FO to review program goals and exercise ideas etc. for the Municipality.
A profile should have the following info: the electronic version fills in some of this as you go along. The paper version you will have to compile it.
Hazard #- each hazard in the community will have a unique number
Hazard situation – brief explanation of what the hazard is
Risk Assessment – result of the HIRA calculation
Priority – level assigned to the Hazard
Vulnerable Population – who might be impacted
CI – Is there any in the potential impact area and who owns it
Response capability – any outside resources needed (eg MNR resources for flooding) and how to contact
Environment – list potential environmental impacts
Prevention, mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery – list any actions taken plans, Pub Ed materials, or additional resources needed for each category.

12. Who works on the HIRA? MECG members Program Committee members CEMC
Hazard experts ie CA staff
CBOs
BIA
All are possible the main point is don’t do it in a vacuum and review it together.

13. Questions Are there any questions?
The next Lesson will be Lesson 4 on HIRA with ___________________ (Instructor Name)