Toronto to test chemical emergency sirens this week
The City of Toronto has notified the public that they will be conducting their quarterly testing of the community siren system in the city's east end on Wednesday afternoon.
At 2:05 p.m., the Toronto East Community Awareness and Emergency Response team (TECAER) will test the chemical emergency siren.
The test will last approximately two minutes, in which the siren will emit a “whoop, whoop” tone, followed by five minutes of silence, the city said. When the test is complete, an “all clear monotone sound” will be issued for one minute.
“The community siren system is designed to warn residents and businesses in the unlikely event of a chemical emergency,” a release issued by the city said.
The whooping tone is the same as what would be activated in the event of an actual chemical emergency.
The city is encouraging residents in the Scarborough-Rouge Park and Scarborough-Guildwood areas to listen for the siren testing and take the opportunity to test out their own emergency preparedness.
In a real chemical emergency, the city advises residents to take shelter inside, turn off HVAC and other ventilation systems that can draw outdoor air inside the house (clothes dryer, fans, window air conditioners, etc.), close all doors and windows, and follow local emergency guidance.
The next testing is scheduled for the first quarter of 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Montreal doctors' breakthrough discovery about causes of cerebral palsy giving hope
A breakthrough discovery made by doctors at the Montreal Children's Hospital about the causes of cerebral palsy is giving new hope to one West Island family.
Weather alerts issued for 7 provinces, 1 territory
Warnings of up to 60 millimetres of rain and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces and one territory ahead of the Easter weekend.
Ontario homeowner on the hook for $27,000 when contractor severed power line
An Ontario man who built a garage on his property has been locked in a battle with his electricity provider for a year and half over a severed power line.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Why Kim Kardashian is being sued for 'knockoff' furniture
The estate of minimalist contemporary artist Donald Judd filed a lawsuit against Kardashian this week, claiming the fashion and beauty mogul promoted 'cheap knockoffs' of his furniture designs.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87
Louis Gossett Jr., the first Black man to win a supporting actor Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries 'Roots,' has died. He was 87.