A provincial grant will help the City of New Westminster to better respond to emergencies and disasters.
New Westminster MLA Jennifer Whiteside and Richmond-Queensborough MLA Aman Singh recently announced New Westminster is receiving $19,090.50 in funding for the modernization of its Emergency Support Services (ESS).
Kathy Lacy, the city’s emergency support services coordinator, and Cory Hansen, emergency management coordinator, provided some details about the grant. In a statement to the Record they stated the funds will help move from a “lengthy and handwritten paper process” to an efficient, streamlined online format in regards to emergency management and climate readiness.
“This grant has approved the purchase of eight laptops, two LTE hotspots and the portable printers necessary to provide for immediate and coordinated resources, supporting and caring for those forced to evacuate,” said the statement. “This equipment will allow the ESS team to respond on site, in a reception centre or virtually in any situation, locally or assisting in other provincial disasters.”
A portion of New Westminster’s grant will be used to provide the trained volunteers with high-visibility vests that will both identify them and their role on site.
According to the city’s emergency staff, the Union of BC Municipalities administers the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, which is intended to enhance the resiliency of local governments and their Emergency Support Services. The envisioned use of this funding is to build capacity and provide ESS through volunteer recruitment, retention and training (including in-house training) and the purchase of ESS equipment.
“In times of disaster, services need to be available to keep people and their families safe,” Whiteside said in an NDP news release. “This funding will modernize New Westminster’s emergency support services so that people have the supports they need during an emergency.”
Singh said many people in B.C. have increased risk when it comes to facing extreme weather events.
"It’s important that we continue to invest in planning and preparation for climate emergencies, and I know this funding is just one of the ways we’re making progress,” he said in the news release.
According to the Ministry of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, more than $2.2 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund will support communities to expand their capacity to provide emergency support services through volunteer recruitment, retention and training, the purchase of ESS equipment and the modernization of local ESS programs to move toward digital registration and reporting through the Evacuee Registration and Assistance online tool. Funding is being allocated to 57 projects throughout B.C.
On average, approximately 30,000 people use Emergency Support Services each year, said the ministry, but that number was higher in 2021 due to the wildfire season and November flooding.
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