Thursday, January 26, 2012

CRD hosts Emergency Planning Open Houses

Courtesy of the Cariboo Regional District

Editor's Note - if you have time, please attend these series of meetings' and help provide the Cariboo Regional District staff with the best information in your local rural community so they can design/implement a well-thought out Emergency Plan for your local community

The Cariboo Regional District (CRD) is launching a region-wide series of open house style meetings which will be used to collect community knowledge and emergency operations information from the people that live, work and play in those communities.

Following the forest fires of 2009, the CRD listened to input and feedback from communities that were impacted by fires. Many residents clearly voiced their desire to share community knowledge, have input into the process and be part of emergency operations planning and solutions in their immediate areas.

The CRD is seeking specific information from communities and their surrounding areas about resources including hazards, road accesses, land uses, recreation areas, active ranching operations, and equipment/operators available for hire in the community and surrounding areas. The Regional District is looking for information from people of all walks of life such as:

• Volunteer Fire Departments
• Search & Rescue groups
• Community Groups & Associations
• Citizens on Patrol
• Tourism Associations & Operators
• Stockmen, stockyards, ranchers
• Service Clubs

CRD staff will be available to take this information and answer questions about emergency planning, operations and recovery. This is also an opportunity for the CRD to recruit people that may be interested in being volunteer emergency contacts (VEC’s) for their community or area or to learn how to become involved in emergency operations or social services.

A survey will be available at all meetings and online through the CRD website at www.cariboord.bc.ca

Some of the questions will help us learn more about the best ways to communicate with residents during emergencies, consider and/or address resident’s ideas and concerns about emergencies. Literature about how to plan for emergencies and what to do if under evacuation alert and/or order will be available at the Open Houses.

A list of the 19 Community Response Capacity Open Houses scheduled for the end of January and concluding in February is posted on the CRD website. Please check the website at www.cariboord.bc.ca, the CRD Emergency Operations facebook page (www.facebook.com/crdemergencyoperations), or the CRD corporate facebook page at (www.facebook.com/caribooregion) to find out which meeting will cover the area you live in.

Members of all communities are invited to attend – anyone and everyone with local knowledge can make a difference.

The Meeting Schedule is:

Date                Time                                   Location

Jan 26th       3:30 - 5:30pm                  Wells Council Chambers
Feb 1st         5-8pm                               Bouchie Lake Fire Hall
Feb 2nd       1-3pm                                Nimpo Lake Community Hall
Feb 3rd        1-4pm                                Tatla Lake Community Hall
Feb 4th         2-4pm                                WL Sportsman Club
Feb 5th         1pm?                              Parkland Elem (to follow adjourn. of Town Hall Mtg)
Feb 8th         5-8pm                                Forest Grove Community Hall
Feb 9th         6-8pm                                Lac La Hache Community Hall
Feb 11th       9am - 12pm                      Lone Butte Community Hall
Feb 11th       2-4pm                               Deka Lake Fire Hall
Feb 13th       5-8pm                               108 Community Hall
Feb 14th       5-8pm                               Kersley Community Hall
Feb 16th       5-8pm                               West Fraser Community Hall
Feb 18th       12-3pm                             Nazko Community Hall
Feb 21st        5-8pm                               McLeese Lake Community Hall
Feb 22nd       5-7pm                              Wildwood Fire Hall
Feb 23rd        5-8pm                              Big Lake Community Hall
Feb 25th         9am - 12pm                    150 Mile Community Hall
Feb 25th         2-5pm                              Miocene Community Hall


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