Pat Quealey

Provincial Emergency Program
Emergency Management BC
Initiatives Update
Pat Quealey
Assistant Deputy Minister
Emergency Management BC
UBCM 2015 Convention
September 23, 2015
Agenda
• Overview of emergency management in BC
• EMBC Strategic Plan and Annual Report
• Some key EMBC initiatives:
• Catastrophic earthquake planning
• Training and exercises
• Notification and alerting
• Public education and regional partnership support
• Local government engagement strategy
Legislated
Responsibilities
– Emergency Program Act
• Defines responsibilities of local authorities, provincial ministries and crown
corporations
• Responsibility for the Province’s emergency management program
– Emergency Program Management Regulation
• Identifies Minister responsible for coordinating government response to
specific hazards
– Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation
• Outlines roles & responsibilities of local authorities
– Compensation and Disaster Financial Assistance Regulation
• Defines disaster financial assistance framework
Emergency
Management Cycle
Preparedness
Response
Mitigation &
Prevention
Recovery
Provincial Emergency
Management Structure
PREMIER
AND CABINET
MINISTERS - DEPUTIES
EMERGENCY COMMITTEE
CENTRAL COORDINATION GROUP
FEDERAL
DEPARTMENTS
PROVINCIAL EMERGENCY COORDINATION CENTRE
PROVINCIAL REGIONAL EMERGENCY
OPERATIONS CENTRE(S)
LOCAL GOVERNMENT
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTRE
(EOCS)
ON-SITE RESPONSE
PROVINCIAL
MINISTRIES
AND AGENCIES
BC Emergency
Management System
All emergencies are
local
What does good look like?
7
EMBC Mission
To lead the management of provincial
level emergencies and disasters and
support other authorities within their
areas of jurisdiction.
EMBC - Our Regions
-
EMBC regions and
regional operations
center locations
-
Provide direct support to
local governments
EMBC Strategic Plan
2014 - 2017 Goals
1. EMBC is a learning organization with a culture of continuous
improvement.
2. EMBC is expert in leading the management of catastrophic disasters of
provincial significance and impact.
3. EMBC is effective in supporting other responsible authorities in their
mandate to mitigate and manage emergencies and disasters.
4. EMBC excels in the provision of the Office of the Fire Commissioner’s
unique services.
5. EMBC empowers and strengthens volunteer organizations.
EMBC Strategic Plan:
Lines of Effort
• Organizational Capacity
• Catastrophic Earthquake Preparedness
• Training and Exercising
• Partnerships (including local authorities)
• Public Education
• Business Practices and Governance
EMBC Annual Report 14/15
• Assesses progress against the EMBC Strategic
Plan, 2014-2017
• Deliverables on track or ahead of schedule
EMBC Organizational
Capacity
– Logistics Section (4)
– Provincial Duty Managers (6)
– Training and exercise staff augmentation (2)
2014 OAG Audit
Catastrophic Earthquake
An Opportunity and catalyst to:
• Build capacity
• Develop strategic and long-term plans
• Review and update existing plans and programs
• Conduct regular training and exercises
• Develop and measure public education initiatives
• Report out annually
Earthquake Preparedness
Consultation and Report
• Extensive stakeholder consultation (April to July 2014)
• Need for change in culture and preparedness in BC:
• Preparedness is a responsibility that is shared by all: public, all levels
of gov’t, private sector, NGOs
• Organizations responsible for emergency management in BC need
greater resources, empowerment and authority
• Concrete work already underway, particularly at EMBC, in response to
the Auditor General’s 2014 report
Earthquake
Planning Roadmap
March 2014
March 2015
March 2016
March 2017
Immediate Response Plan
Sustained Response Planning
What have we
accomplished?
Recovery Planning
Earthquake Immediate
Response Plan
• Developed in cooperation with:
– Federal and Provincial partners
– International agencies
– Other key stakeholders (e.g. Canadian Red Cross)
• Focused on decision-making and coordination in the
immediate response phase
• Outlines integration between local, provincial, federal
and U.S. partners
• Provincial-level document
Scenario Impacts
Metro Vancouver:
Greater Victoria:
Buildings
Buildings
• 18% extensive
• 18% extensive
• 12% complete
• 11% complete
Injured: 120,000
Injured: 18,000
Fatalities: 9200
Fatalities: 1400
Displaced: 92,000
Displaced: 14,000
• Communications disrupted
• Critical infrastructure severely impacted
• Supply of food, water and aid limited for weeks
Decision-based Planning
20
Framework for Provincial-level
response and leadership
EMBC IRP Valiation Day
21
Provincial Earthquake
Response & Recovery Centre
•
•
•
•
Venue for integration across all agencies
Coordination specific to earthquake
Direct support to local authorities
Recovery integration
Provincial
Coordination Team (PCT)
• Cross-government, multi-functional provincial team
• Activated & deployed by EMBC
• Potential tasks:
– Situational awareness, assessment and analysis
– Integration with local authorities & stakeholders
– Reinforcing regional operations centers
• Already proven effectiveness
Earthquake
Planning Roadmap
March 2014
March 2015
March 2016
March 2017
Immediate Response Plan
Sustained Response Planning
- Interagency integration
- Logistics management
- Mass care
Recovery Planning
Exercise
Coastal Response 2016
Purpose:
• Improve provincial response to a catastrophic earthquake
Focus:
• Test elements of BC’s Earthquake Immediate Response Plan
• Strengthen stakeholder relationships and engagement
Location:
• Environs of Port Alberni (June 7-10, 2016)
Exercise
Coastal Response
Medical
Mass Care
Emergency
Operations
Exercise
Functions
Logistics
Strategic
Communications
Operational
Communications
Provincial Emergency Program
LUSAR
Ex Coastal Response 2016
HUSAR TF-1
PCT
Notification
and Alerting
Provincial Emergency
Notification System (PENS)
•
Emergency notification to alert local authorities, First
Nations and other key stakeholders
•
Currently used exclusively to notify of a potential
tsunami
•
Technology and processes were outdated
•
PENS renewal project: June 2014 - March 2015
PENS Project
Outcomes/Benefits
• Decreased time to issue notification
• Notification hierarchy: starts with closest to event
• Resilient and reliable process
• Efficient and easier to ‘launch’ system
"New" PENS Today
Social Media
Unit
Web
(On Call)
National Tsunami
Warning Center
Warning
EMBC
Provincial
Duty
Manager
1
EMBC
Emergency
Coordination
Centre
Twitter
Alert
Notify
4
3
Local
Government
Emergency
Officials
2
Alert
Citizens
Local Alert
Local Alert
Local Alert
Public Alerting Project
Goals for
Public
Alerting:
Enhanced reach of public alerting solution
Improved speed for alerting
Automated distribution of emergency alerts
across multiple channels
Increased types of alerts that can be delivered
(tsunami, fire, flood, Amber Alert, etc.)
Public Alerting Project:
Future State
1
3
Warning
National
Tsunami
Warning
Center
2
EMBC
Provincial
Duty
Manager
BC Alert
Management
Hub
Web
Notify
(24x7 On
site)
Create
Alert
Local
Government
Emergency
Officials
Response
Citizens
Public Education
• Developed in consultation with local authorities
• New public education materials:
• Earthquake and Tsunami Smart Manual
• Neighbourhood Preparedness Guide
• Household Preparedness Guide
• DIY Emergency Plan
• Emergency Kit Card
Regional Partnerships
 Integrated Partnership for Regional Emergency Management
(IPREM)
 A 50-50 partnership between the Province and Metro
Vancouver local authorities
 Created a regional concept of operations
 Drafted a regional communications strategy
 Potential for similar relationship with Capital Regional District
 Catastrophic Planning
Local Government
Engagement Strategy
“Over the course of the next three years, EMBC intends to better
engage local government through a variety of communication
methods, to modernize the tools that are available, and to
promote a better understanding of EMBC policies, roles and
responsibilities.”
A three-year strategy under final review
Local Government
Preparedness Support
•
•
•
•
•
•
Training courses
Workshops
Regional office support
Web resources
EmergencyInfo BC
Provincial hazard plans
www.embc.gov.bc.ca
Reference
Materials
Other EMBC
Work Underway
• Development of a provincial mitigation program
• Flood plain mapping and risk assessment
– Proposal with Federal Government
• Enhancement of support to First Nations
• Enhanced partnerships internal and external to BC
Provincial Emergency Program
Thank You
www.embc.gov.bc.ca