B.C. funds evacuation-route, public-notification planning in 19 communities

The B.C. government is putting $880,000 towards development and upgrading of emergency evacuation-route and public-notification plans in 19 communities.

The funding, through the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, will improve evacuations, emergency notification, alerts and communications during emergencies, Bowinn Ma, B.C.’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness, said in a news release.

“Recent wildfires in remote regions of B.C. have put communities at risk of being cut off from the rest of the province, highlighting the need for good, advanced planning to ensure residents are able to evacuate safely,” Ma said. “We also know that First Nations and local governments have the most up-to-date information to provide to people to keep them safe.”

Among the projects, Cowichan Valley Regional District received funding to develop and review evacuation route plans, geography, modes of transportation and other factors.

Aaron Stone, board chair for the Cowichan Valley Regional District, said in the release municipal emergency management relies on grant funding to improve modernization of services and ensure safe, compassionate community support during an emergency.

“The development of evacuation-route plans can minimize distress to the community during a highly stressful emergency event and assist hard-working emergency-support organizations by increasing awareness of safe and timely routes to evacuation centres,” Stone said.

Other funded projects include the District of North Vancouver to strengthen tri-municipal operational readiness for evacuations and enhance overall integrated community resilience across the North Shore; Kitasoo Xai’xais First Nation to identify evacuation routes and transportation capacity, and develop a notification system; and the Cariboo Regional District to assess road networks, identify potential bottlenecks and obstacles, and propose alternative routes for 108 Mile Ranch.