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EMBC hosts spring hazard readiness meeting in Williams Lake

Around 100 people attended a meeting to hear first hand from various government agencies
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Lavona Liggins, an agrologist with the Ministry of Agriculture discusses how the ministry works through emergencies during an EMBC meeting held in Williams Lake Wednesday. Monica Lamb-Yorski photo

A spring hazard readiness meeting held in Williams Lake Wednesday updated local authorities on what resources are available to help them now and in the future.

It was the third readiness meeting Emergency Management BC has co-ordinated this season — the first one was held in Dawson Creek on March 14 and the second one in Prince George on April 19.

“At the request of the Cariboo Regional District, as they normally have a symposium every year, we stepped in to help them co-ordinate a readiness meeting here in the Cariboo,” said Genevieve Fox, regional manager of the EMBC north east. “After last summer it was pretty important that we hold one here because there are a lot of stakeholders and people still in the recovery phase from the wildfires.”

Speakers for the meeting included meteorologist Cindy Yu with Environment and Climate Change Canada, David Campbell from the River Forecast Centre, David Weir, water authorizations with Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development , AJ Hesford with EMBC logistics support, Rory Colwell a forest protection officer with the BC Wildfire Service, Stan Harvey an auxiliary regional manager for structural protection with the Office of the Fire Commissioner, Denyse Koo and Samantha Watkins from EMBC logistics support, Andrew Giles from EMBC disaster mitigation, Tim MacLeod with EMBC Disaster Financial Assistance, Jen Allen and Adam Johnston from Canadian Red Cross, Lavona Liggins an agrologist with the Ministry of Agriculture, Harry Spahan from First Nations Emergency Service Society and Ryan Sharp EMBC First Nation Co-ordination Unit.

“They gave updates to let people know what to expect for the upcoming season and to help local authorities better prepare themselves as well as communities,” Fox said.

On Thursday, EMBC will host an operational planning meeting in Williams Lake for ministry, agency, industry, non-government agency and partners to come together with local authorities and First Nations to discuss roles, mandates and any updates, Fox explained.

“A lot of the people that are here today will be there tomorrow as well,” Fox noted. “We’ve got several First Nation chiefs coming as well as the Conservation Officer Service and the RCMP to talk about road blocks and evacuations.”

EMBC has been hosting operational planning meetings for several years, she added.

Read More: CCCTA hosts tourism symposium “Beyond the Fires”



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People attending a spring hazard readiness meeting in Williams Lake heard from several government organizations about what to expect this spring and summer. Monica Lamb-Yorski photo


Monica Lamb-Yorski

About the Author: Monica Lamb-Yorski

A B.C. gal, I was born in Alert Bay, raised in Nelson, graduated from the University of Winnipeg, and wrote my first-ever article for the Prince Rupert Daily News.
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