The Peace River Regional District and Northern Rockies Regional Municipality received provincial funding to further their emergency evacuation planning and notification systems in case of emergencies.
The provincial government announced funding for communities to improve their emergency planning – specifically their evacuation routes and public notification systems.
“It is vital that communities have clear evacuation routes and dependable notification systems to keep people safe in the event of an emergency,” said Kelly Greene, B.C.’s Minister of Emergency Management and Climate Readiness.
Greene said the projects will improve the quality and speed at which information is made available to residents during emergencies. Over $2 million will be provided to various local governments and First Nations across the province. In the northeast, the Peace River Regional District and Northern Rockies Regional Municipality received grants.
In the Peace River region, the $40,000 from the province will support rural communities, according to Leonard Hiebert, the board chair of the Peace River Regional District.
“The provincial funding we have received will be used to help us better protect residents in our rural, unincorporated communities with robust emergency planning. It will be used to assess and enhance notification to rural residents during emergencies,” said Hiebert in a statement for My Peace Region Now.
“We will be conducting assessments in these communities to identify any gaps in our current system and plan for future upgrades and funding needs.”
The Northern Rockies received $31,900 to “develop a crisis communication plan with staff training resources, mapping and communications,” according to the province.
During their July 14 regional council meeting, the council received a report on wildfires in the Fort Nelson region and managing the physical forestry to decrease its chance of burning.
