Emergency Management BC launched an alert from the Provincial Emergency Notification System this morning as part of Exercise Coastal Response (https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/exercise-coastal-response-2016), the Province’s first full-scale earthquake exercise undertaken in B.C. The notification occurred shortly after the 7:45 a.m. commencement of the exercise.

In the midst of British Columbia’s first full-scale major earthquake and tsunami response exercise, Emergency Social Services (ESS) volunteers and the B.C. branch of the Salvation Army are getting the opportunity to experience what volunteering at “The Big One” might feel like.

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.