Emergency Communications

Emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere. Severe weather such as floods, tornadoes, ice storms, and accidents such as chemical spills can strike any community. During a local emergency, information updates from the City of Oshawa will be available through:

• News and Alerts
• our Twitter and Facebook accounts
• Service Oshawa

 Subscribe to Emergency Alerts  to receive emergency updates by email.

Alert Ready wireless and broadcast alerts

Canada’s Alert Ready system sends emergency alerts to compatible cell phones and wireless devices, as well as through TV and radio broadcasts. You do not need to sign up for these alerts.

You can check if your cell phone is compatible by visiting AlertReady.ca.

Alert Ready emergency alerts are geo-targeted and activated only for the most serious, large-scale emergencies.  

Public Alerting System

Outdoor sirens within the three-kilometre nuclear Automatic Action Zones

Public alerting sirens will sound steadily during a nuclear emergency for at least three minutes. If you are outside and hear the sirens, you need to stop what you are doing and go inside to get more information. You will only hear the sirens if you are outside and within three kilometres of one of the nuclear plants. You can get information on the radio, television, and official websites and social media channels. 

Automated telephone system in the 10-kilometre nuclear Detailed Planning Zones

In the unlikely event of a nuclear emergency, the automated telephone system will send a recorded message to landline phones in the 10-kilometre area around the nuclear stations. More information about the Public Alerting System.

Other sources for emergency updates

Lessen the impact an emergency has on you and your family by being proactive and preparing an emergency kit. Recommendations on how to best prepare for the worst-case scenario are available on our Emergency Preparedness pages.