Sq’ewá:lxw  Emergency Program

The Sq’ewá:lxw Emergency Management Program protects the health and safety of our members and residents and the values and assets found on our land.  The program ensures that plans and protocols are in place, that staff and volunteers are adequately trained, and that community awareness is high.

Sq’ewá:lxw works toward both self-reliance and effective partnerships.  Our program is fully compatible with the BC Emergency Management System.  We organize our efforts according to the four pillars of emergency management:  risk mitigation; preparedness; emergency response; and post incident recovery.

Fraser Valley Regional District Emergency Notification Service

Alertable is an emergency notification system that enables the FVRD to send alerts to residents, businesses, and visitors during critical events such as fires or floods as well as for community notices such as water advisories.  Signing up is easy and can be done from you mobile phone, tablet, or computer.  There is no fee to sign up.  Sq’ewá:lxw encourages all members and residents to sign up at:  https://alertable.ca/signup/index.html?site=BC5

The Four Pillars of Emergency Management

Risk Mitigation

Risk mitigation starts with strategies to prepare for any threats faced by the community and most importantly implements activities to reduce the negative effects of potential emergencies and disasters.  Sq’ewá:lxw prioritizes risk mitigation with a hazard, risk, and vulnerability assessment.  Mitigation work is starting with the utilization of FireSmart principles to reduce the risks associated with wildfire.

Preparedness

Central to Sq’ewá:lxw preparedness activities is the All-Hazards Emergency Management Plan.  The purpose of the all-hazards plan is to  provide a framework for mitigation, preparation, response, and recovery activities to be undertaken during and after an emergency, and to protect the health and safety of our community members and our critical infrastructure.  Planning has been supported by training and tabletop scenario playing exercises.

Emergency  Response

Sq’ewá:lxw response planning focusses on response support, with site response provided by our partners:  the Agassiz RCMP, the Agassiz Fire Department, and the BCEHS Ambulance Service.  In the case of a disaster, the Sq’ewá:lxw Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will activate.

Recovery

While the All-Hazards Plan provides advice for recovery operations during and following an event, specific and detailed recover planning will be further developed as time and resources permit.

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Community Resources

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In Case of Emergency

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FireSmart – Living with Wildfire