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.

The number of electric and hybrid vehicles on the roads in B.C. has increased dramatically in recent years. To avoid gaps in electric vehicle safety training, the Province has invested in this program to ensure that police, firefighters, emergency medical services, tow truck operators and other emergency responders have access to a variety of materials to learn how to safely deal with all the new technology on our roads today.

The license agreement between the Council of Canadian Fire Marshals and Fire Commissioners (CCFMFC) and the NFPA, in conjunction with the Office of the Fire Commissioner of BC will make available materials including online training, in-classroom sessions, resources, and emergency field guides that provide first responders with a quick reference on how to handle alternative fuel vehicle incidents on-scene.

The Province will work with the CCFMFC, the NFPA and training providers to make this training available to first responders as quickly as possible.

Quotes:

Minister of State for Emergency Preparedness, Naomi Yamamoto –

“Green technology continues to grow and thrive in our province, and to ensure the safety of both first responders and the public, we must also ensure our training keeps pace with this technology. The safety of first responders and the public is paramount to our government, and we are pleased to join provinces and territories across the country in this important initiative.”

British Columbia’s fire commissioner Gordon Anderson –

“Over two years of effort has gone into bringing this innovative training to British Columbia. We are looking forward to making this training accessible to all emergency responders in British Columbia.”

National Fire Protection Association president Jim Pauley –

“NFPA’s alternative fuel vehicle training program has been a valuable resource in the U.S. and we are pleased to support Canadian emergency responders by expanding the program across North America. Working with local agencies to create this first-of-its kind, Canada-wide first responder training program demonstrates NFPA’s focus on delivering critical information across the globe to keep the public and first responders safe.”

Quick Facts:

• Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission.
• NFPA and CCFMFC over the past several years have been working on a licence agreement to have the Electric and Alternative Fuel Safety Training available in Canada. On April 21, 2016, both parties signed a license agreement for the CCFMFC to be the distributor of the training program.
• Thanks to the support of the Standards Council of Canada, the training materials will be available in both official languages.

Learn More:

Emergency Info BC, B.C.’s official channel for emergency alerts: http://ow.ly/WCDbj

Follow us on Twitter @EmergencyInfoBC and @PreparedBC

NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online at: www.nfpa.org/freeaccess