BRITISH COLUMBIA – Nearly 30 communities have received provincial funding for emergency operations centres that will enhance local governments’ and First Nations’ response to emergencies.
Emergency operations centres (EOCs) are essential for emergency response, acting as the main hub where local leaders and representatives work together to co-ordinate plans and resources. They help to protect communities during emergencies by providing crucial support to first responders and ensuring a unified and efficient response to crises.
“As a community in one of Canada’s only deserts and in a region that experiences emergencies annually, this important provincial investment from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund will support the Town of Oliver with continuing to develop a standalone, year-round emergency operations centre to support our residents during disasters and emergencies. With a small tax base, this funding will support the town’s purchase of equipment for the new EOC and provide training to town staff,” said Martin Johansen, Mayor of Oliver.
The Province is providing approximately $1.4 million to 29 B.C. communities for emergency preparedness, including new supplies for local EOCs and training exercises to support staff and increase efficiency.
“Big White Fire Department used funding from the CEPF to set up the firehall as a backup emergency operations centre and command post for emergencies in the eastern region of the RDKB, ensuring the district can see to the safety of residents and visitors in the region,” said Josh Foster, Big White fire chief.
Funded through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund (CEPF), investments will support projects in 29 communities throughout the province, including:
- purchasing a generator and essential support equipment for uninterrupted EOC functionality to strengthen the resilience and operational capacity of the Big White fire department as a central emergency-response hub within the Regional District of Kootenay-Boundary;
- acquiring and installing a generator, TV monitors and support equipment to ensure uninterrupted EOC functionality, and providing certified emergency-management training for staff and facilitated tabletop EOC exercises for community training for Sema:th First Nation;
- establishing a 24/7 EOC in the Oliver town hall with necessary infrastructure and supplies, and providing additional emergency-management training and conducting an annual exercise with a facilitator and support for partners, such as the Osoyoos Indian Band; and
- purchasing portable sound equipment, safety vests and installing earthquake-resistant enhancements; developing a community Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) team to support Regional EOC operations and staff; hosting a workshop on First Nation principles of ownership, control, access and possession (OCAP); and hosting multiregional evacuation exercises with Tla’amin and K’omoks First Nations.
“This joint funding will champion the creation of a community CISM team and sustain a collaborative, people-centred approach to training, exercises and resource sharing,” said Cari McIntyre, emergency planning co-ordinator, Comox Valley Emergency Management. “It will also help our continuous development of trauma-informed, response-ready partnerships that support regional disaster risk reduction initiatives with neighbouring communities and external agency organizations.”
The Province has invested $369 million into the CEPF since it was established in 2017. More than $224 million has been provided to First Nations and local governments through the CEPF for approximately 2,000 projects. Since 2017, approximately $16.3 million has been invested to support local EOCs.
The CEPF helps communities better prepare for, and mitigate the impacts of, climate-related emergencies by funding local projects and initiatives in several categories. In addition to EOC equipment and training, other categories include:
- disaster-risk reduction and climate adaptation;
- public notification and evacuation-route planning;
- Indigenous cultural safety and cultural-humility training; and
- emergency support-services equipment and training.
The CEPF is administered by the Union of B.C. Municipalities on behalf of the Province.
Local governments and First Nations throughout British Columbia will receive approximately $1.4 million from the CEPF as follows:
Bulkley-Nechako Regional District – EOC equipment
Amount: $29,906
Capital Regional District – EOC training and development
Amount: $30,000
Central Kootenay Regional District – EOC equipment and training
Amount: $29,650
Central Okanagan Regional District – EOC equipment and training 2024
Regional partners: Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nation
Amount: $140,652
Central Saanich – Peninsula emergency operations training and equipment upgrades
Regional partners: North Saanich
Amount: $60,000
Comox Valley Regional District – 2024 multi-jurisdictional EOC resiliency project
Regional partners: Comox, Courtenay, Cumberland, K’omoks First Nation
Amount: $150,000
Cowichan Valley Regional District – 2024 regional EOC project
Regional partners: Duncan, Ladysmith, Lake Cowichan, North Cowichan
Amount: $150,000
East Kootenay Regional District – EOC preparedness and modernization
Regional partners: Canal Flats, Cranbrook, Fernie, Invermere, Kimberly, Radium Hot Springs, ?aq’am First Nation
Amount: $210,000
Elkford – Elkford emergency operations enhancements
Amount: $27,129
Esquimalt – tabletop exercise
Amount: $6,000
Halfway River First Nation – radio equipment for EOC
Amount: $25,700
Homalco First Nation – 2024 mobile EOC capability
Amount: $25,277
Kootenay-Boundary Regional District – emergency back-up power generator
Amount: $30,000
Lytton First Nation – 2024 EOC facility
Amount: $30,000
Merritt – EOC capacity building project 2024
Amount: $29,115
Nelson – 2024 EOC enhancement project
Amount: $30,000
Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District – EOC training
Amount: $29,450
Oliver – enhancing Oliver’s emergency program capacity
Amount: $30,000
Princeton – EOC coms/equipment, computers and furniture
Amount: $30,000
Sema:th First Nation (Sumas) – enhancing EOC preparedness
Amount: $30,000
Smithers – EOC training project
Regional partners: Telkwa
Amount: $59,500
Spallumcheen – EOC supplies
Amount: $8,850
Splatsin First Nation – EOC start-up
Amount: $27,910.40
T’it’q’et – EOC
Amount: $30,000
Tseshaht First Nation – EOC equipment and training
Amount: $29,511
Upper Similkameen First Nation – EOC equipment and training
Amount: $30,000
Vernon – EOC equipment and training project 2024
Amount: $30,000
Whistler – EOC room technological upgrades
Amount: $14,459
Xwchiyo:m First Nation (Cheam) – EOC equipment and training
Amount: $29,228
Source: Province of BC
