Two local governments are getting some funds from the B.C. government to bolster their emergency operations centres (EOC) as wildfire season begins in the region.
The Regional District of East Kootenay (RDEK) will get $210,000 and the District of Elkford will receive $27,129.
The RDEK will use its funding to modernize and prepare its EOC, while Elkford will enhance its EOC with its grant.
“Our model is very much a regional partnership model. When we have emergencies, we’ll have people from the community come in and work in our regional EOC,” said RDEK Board Chair Rob Gay.
The RDEK’s EOC has proven so effective that it was adopted by the B.C. government.
“Through that operation centre, we’ll take charge of an emergency to help people with whatever they need,” said Gay.
“It puts all of the skilled people into one place. This model where we work with first nations and other local governments seems to be the future of emergency management.”
EOCs serve as a main hub for coordination and planning between local representatives during a crisis such as wildfires or floods.
“It is encouraging to see so many local governments and First Nations prioritizing their emergency operations centres,” said Bowinn Ma, Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
“These EOCs are vital during disasters, providing fundamental coordination and support to ensure the safety of everyone in the community.”
This comes as the B.C. government splits $1.4 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund to 29 local governments and First Nations to bolster their emergency response.
Improvements can include purchasing new supplies and covering the cost of enhanced staff training.
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