FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Prince George, B.C. – The Emergency Programs team at the City of Prince George has been busy preparing the Emergency Support Services (ESS) Reception Centre in anticipation of the upcoming wildfire season.
This is the second year that trailers have been set up at the back of the Kin Centre where they will serve as the cornerstone of the city's summer emergency response efforts.
Thanks to provincial funding, once again there are three large trailers and a dedicated washroom facility. This setup ensures that the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will have a permanent and well-equipped reception centre for the months ahead.
Tanya Spooner, manager of Emergency Programs at the City of Prince George, says the trailers set up and the way the Prince George team is assembled is the pilot model for the rest of the province.
“We learnt a lot last year and we’ve made some changes to our set up this year. The main trailer for where evacuees can come and be registered can have up to 10 kiosks at a time if needed,” Ms Spooner said.
“The ultimate goal remains a more permanent solution; however, Prince George has been asked to support neighbouring communities time and time again, and having the trailers in place and operationally at the ready means that we are ready not only for whatever is in store for PG, but whatever is in store for our region.”
One of the trailers will act as a Cultural Activity Location (CALS) support for incoming indigenous communities to utilise as a flexible space to either support their own EOC, for Chief and Council to operate out of, to use as a resiliency centre to support recovery, or as a gathering place for their community.
The Emergency Programs team at the City also have a new member of the team, a full time FireSmart educator.
“This means we are now actively taking requests for FireSmart assessments on properties, people can email us at fire.smart@princegeorge.ca” Ms Spooner said.
You can learn more about the FireSmart work, and all things Emergency Programs at the CityFest event on May 21 from 3p.m. – 7 p.m. at Canada Games Plaza.
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Media contact:
Claire Thwaites, communications manager
Mobile: 778-349-1386
Email: media@princegeorge.ca
