May 5, 2011
PROVINCIAL FUNDING FOR LOCAL EMERGENCY TRAINING

VICTORIA – To mark Emergency Preparedness Week, the Province has announced $700,000 to fund training for local government emergency management staff and emergency social services volunteers across British Columbia. Staff and volunteers in White Rock will benefit from this provincial funding.  

Why this matters:

• 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 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.

Quotes:

"This funding will go towards valuable preparation to create safe and well-prepared communities for families in Surrey and White Rock.  This announcement and the recent $100,000 community gaming grant to the Semiahmoo Peninsula Marine Rescue Society for the purchase of a new rescue boat demonstrates our government's commitment to provide the training and equipment necessary to respond to emergencies."

                Surrey-White Rock MLA Gordon Hogg

Additional information:

• Emergency Preparedness Week is an annual event that runs during the first full week in May and is coordinated 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.

• 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

Visit Gordon's website at www.gordonhoggmla.bc.ca