First responders

If you are a 9-1-1 dispatcher, a police officer, a paramedic or a firefighter working in a community that may be exposed to the risk of Unexploded Explosive Ordnance (UXO), you need to be aware of the procedures to follow.

The public is directed to call their local police or 9-1-1 if they encounter something that could be an UXO.

That call triggers the following:

• the police Head Quarters (HQ) or dispatcher will normally dispatch a police officer to assess the situation
• if required, the police HQ or dispatcher will contact their affiliated Canadian Forces’ Regional Joint Task Force Headquarters (RJTF HQ)
• the RJTF HQ will send a specialized team of explosive experts (the EOD Unit) to the location to identify, remove and/or destroy the UXO

In the event of an emergency call for a UXO-related death or injury, first responders arriving at the scene should stay alert and exercise caution. Where there is one unexploded bomb there may be others nearby. Fighting a fire in a known or suspected UXO area is potentially dangerous, and should be done only on advice of the Chief Fire Fighter.

Advice for first responders

If you are a first responder working in a community that may be affected by UXO:

• know what UXO looks like
• know your organization’s procedure for responding and reporting

Do not touch or move suspicious objects or try to uncover buried objects where there is a risk of UXO.