As emergency officials from neighbouring Alberta prepare to remove the evacuation order and permit families to return to Fort McMurray, B.C. is lending a hand, including deployment of mental health workers to support those facing the uncertain realities of returning home to their evacuated town.

To better understand and mitigate the impacts of flooding along the Fraser River and southern coast as identified in Phase One of the Lower Mainland Flood Management Strategy, the Province of British Columbia is working collaboratively with all partners in the strategy and with the Fraser Basin Council by committing $1 million in funding to assist with implementation of Phase Two.

Premier Christy Clark announced $33,350 in funding to the Princeton Ground Search and Rescue Society as part of the Province’s $10-million in one-time funding commitments to the BC Search and Rescue Association (BCSARA) to help bolster training, administrative support and equipment renewals for these critical public safety lifeline volunteers.

As the full scope and scale of impacts from the severe wildfire in Fort McMurray becomes clearer and Alberta transitions from response to resilience efforts, the British Columbia government continues to extend its hand of help with resources to aid the neighbouring province.

To better prepare British Columbians in the event of an emergency and ensure the basic needs of citizens are met, the Province is funding a series of collaborative projects to increase British Columbia’s capacity and capabilities to mitigate and manage emergencies.

Emergency Management BC and the Office of the Fire Commissioner of BC are pleased to announce that they have joined jurisdictions across Canada in signing a three-year licence agreement with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to facilitate the delivery of Electric, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Vehicle Safety Training Programs for first responders.

British Columbia continues to marshal emergency management resources and support to assist neighbouring Albertans who have fled the devastating wildfires.