B.C. marks Emergency Preparedness Week

VICTORIA - To mark Emergency Preparedness Week, the Province is contributing $700,000 to fund training for local government emergency management staff and emergency social services volunteers throughout British Columbia, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Shirley Bond announced today.

The funding will allow approximately 2,000 emergency management staff from various local authorities and around 2,400 emergency social services volunteers to receive training at regional workshops, online and through the Justice Institute of British Columbia.

In British Columbia, local authorities as the first responders are responsible for planning and managing emergency responses within their jurisdictional areas, including emergency social services.

Emergency social services provide short-term assistance to British Columbians who are forced to leave their homes because of fire, floods, earthquakes or other emergencies. This assistance includes food, lodging, clothing, emotional support and family reunification.

Quick Facts:

• Emergency Preparedness Week is an annual event that runs during the first full week in May and is co-ordinated by Public Safety Canada, in close collaboration with the provinces and territories.
• Activities are organized across Canada to raise awareness of the importance of having an emergency kit, making an emergency plan and identifying risks in the region to help prepare Canadians for all types of emergencies.
• Local governments are also marking the week with a variety of awareness events. For example, Bamfield will hold emergency planning sessions and forums, Gabriola Island will hold an emergency preparedness fair and Fort St. James has planned emergency kit awareness activities.
• All municipalities and regional districts in British Columbia are required to have emergency plans in place that identify how the local authority will respond to emergencies.
• Local governments are the first responders to emergencies in their communities and the Province supports their preparedness, response and recovery efforts as and when they request it.
• In British Columbia, local authorities are responsible for planning and operating Emergency Social Services in their communities.
• Approximately 5,000 volunteers donate their time and energy as part of ESS teams located in communities throughout BC.

Learn More:

To learn more about how you can be prepared for a disaster, visit the Emergency Management BC website at www.pep.bc.ca and the Public Safety Canada website at www.getprepared.gc.ca

For more information on emergency social services including how to volunteer in your community, visit: www.ess.bc.ca

Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961