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"Sharing the Responsibility" - An Integrated Emergency Management Approach

Wes ShoemakerAssociate Deputy MinisterEmergency Management BCMinistry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

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Emergency Management in BC(EMBC)

Emergency Management of British Columbia

EMBC

Wes Shoemaker

Coroner Service

Terry Smith

Provincial Emergency Program

Cam Filmer

Office of Fire Commissioner

David Hodgins

Business Continuity

Lisa Benini

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Office of the Fire Commissioner

Fire Commissioner: David Hodgins

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Office of the Commissioner (OFC)

• Senior fire authority for the province• Responsible for:

• Application and enforcement of the Fire Services Act & Fire Code

• Providing leadership in fire safety and prevention education (FireSmart, Juvenile Fire Setter, Getting to Know Fire)

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Office of the Commissioner (OFC)• Supporting training for approximately

1,100 Local Assistants to the Fire Commissioner (LAFC)

• Maintaining Fire Loss Reporting System that records BC fire loss statistics

• Conducting fire investigations

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Office of the Commissioner (OFC)

• Headquarters in Victoria• 25 staff & 4 Regional offices located in:

• Kamloops• Prince George• Cranbrook• Victoria

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Coroner Service

Chief Coroner: Terry Smith

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Coroners Service• Reviews all sudden, unexpected,

unexplained or unattended deaths• May utilize either a Judgment of

Inquiry (Investigative Report) or Inquest

• Both of these processes are quasi-judicial in nature

• The process is fact-finding NOT fault-finding

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Coroners Service• Role

• To determine who, when, where, how and by what means the individual died

• Each death will be classified as either Homicide, Suicide, Accidental, Natural, or Undetermined

• Where at all possible recommendations will be advanced aimed a preventing further deaths in similar circumstances

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Provincial Emergency Program (PEP)

Executive Director: Cam Filmer

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Provincial Emergency Program• Internationally recognized leaders in

emergency management• Integrated emergency management

at all levels• Focus on partnerships and

relationship building• Support to local communities

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Disaster Resilient Communities Preparedness and Planning

“Helping the community to be prepared is very important… we are doing our best to change the perspective of people from ‘being rescued’ to becoming self prepared.”

Stephen JacksonESSD Gabriola Island

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Disaster Resilient Communities Legislation Changes

• Firestorm 2003 Review led by Gary Filmon made 17 recommendations

• 2004 Emergency Program Act was amended• Defining Regional Districts as a local

authority with emergency management and preparedness responsibilities

• Deadline of January 2006 was determined• 2004 – 2006 saw regional districts

establishing EM programs

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Preparedness and PlanningTools provided by PEP

• Hazard, Risk and Vulnerabilities Analysis toolkit (HRVA)

• Community Emergency Plan Review toolkit (CEPR)

• Community Emergency Management Guide (under revision)

• PEP Website ( www.pep.bc.ca)

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Preparedness and PlanningHazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis

Online application accessed athttp://www.pep.gov.bc.ca/hrva/toolkit.html

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Preparedness and PlanningCommunity Emergency Program Review

Online application accessed athttp://www.pep.bc.ca/cepr/review.html

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Preparedness and PlanningCommunity Emergency Program Review

Online application accessed athttp://www.pep.bc.ca/cepr/review.html

Example of output from electronic CEPR toolkit.

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Disaster Resilient Communities Funding Opportunities

Union of BC Municipalities Grant Programs

• $2.5 Million to date• 172 grants

Emergency Plan DevelopmentExercisingEOC enhancement…

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Disaster Resilient CommunitiesFunding Opportunities

New Relationship Fund ($500K)Supports integrated emergency planning activities between local governments and First NationsPlanningExercisingTraining

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Preparedness and Planning Federal Government Support

• Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) funding

• New Initiatives Funding (NIF)Provincial Search and Rescue groups Inter-operability Radio Kits

• Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement

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Preparedness and Planning First Nations Emergency Services Society (FNESS)

• Emergency Management agent of Indian and Northern Affairs (INAC) Canada in BC

• Enhanced relationship with PEP

• Tsunami Planning• Band Council Resolution

Templates• Community Emergency Plan

Templates

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Preparedness and PlanningElected Officials Workshops

• Emergency Management education for elected officials of local governments

• Union of BC Municipalities and Provincial Emergency Program partnership21 sessions481 attendees

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Preparedness and PlanningTraining and Education

• Delivery of emergency management training programs by recognized institutions

• $950k to Emergency Management Training in BC

• 2005/06 >255 courses • 2005/06 >5599 people trained

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Preparedness and Planning Tsunami Integrated Preparedness (TIP) Project • TIP Working Group (25 agencies)• Community Grants ($1M)• Exercises• Signage• Enhanced Warning and Alerting

Systems• Public/School Awareness and

Education• Modeling and Mapping

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Response Structure BC Emergency Response Management System (BCERMS) PREMIER

AND CABINET

MINISTER OF PUBLIC SAFETY &

SOLICITOR GENERAL

DEPUTYMINISTER

AD HOC EMERGENCYCOMMITTEE

OF MINISTERS/DEPUTIES(HAZARD-BASED)

PROVINCIALMINISTRIES/AGENCIES

FEDERALDEPARTMENTS

CENTRAL COORDINATIONGROUP

PROVINCIAL EMERGENCY COORDINATION CENTRE

ON-SITERESPONSE

LOCAL GOVERNMENT/PRIVATE SECTOR

EMERGENCYOPERATION CENTRES (EOCs)

PROVINCIAL REGIONALEMERGENCY OPERATIONS

CENTRE(S)

INTER-AGENCY EMERGENCY

PREPAREDNESS COUNCIL (IEPC)

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Response Capacity Provincial Regional Emergency Operation Centres (PREOC)

• 6 permanent offices and emergency response facilities

• Regional Staff provide support to Local Communities

• Since May 2006 19 Provincial Regional Emergency

Operations Centre (PREOC) activations 49 Local Government Emergency

Operations Centre (EOC) activations

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• Staffing of PEP emergency operation centres• Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centres

(PREOCs)• Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre (PECC)

• 120 public service employees from various provincial ministries

• TEAMS train/exercise twice annually • Located regionally but utilized throughout

province

Response Capacity Temporary Emergency Assignment Management System (TEAMS)

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Response CapacityEmergency Coordination Centre

• 24/7 staffed operation centre• 260 000 calls received annually• 7259 logged incidents:

2550 Road Rescue 1020 SAR 308 ESS (Urban house fires) 3633 Dangerous Spill

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ResponseFlooding

• Significant flooding seen in the province this year in South East, South West and Vancouver Island regions

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ResponseSeismic Event/Tsunami Watch – Nov. 15

credit NOAA / NOAA Center for Tsunami Research

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Seismic Event/Tsunami Watch – Nov. 15

Photo from Crescent City: impact of wave from earthquake Nov 15.

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ResponseRain – Port Alberni 138mm (64mm in 6 hours peak rate)

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ResponseWind – 110 km/hr in West Vancouver

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ResponseWind & Rain – Nov. 15

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Responsemore Wind & Rain – Dec. 13

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Responseeven more Wind – Jan. 10

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Disaster Resiliency Recovery Issues

Social Effects• Stress and psychological trauma• Foregone long-term goals and opportunities• Delay of social programs• Gaps in community economic classes

Economic Effects• Loss of businesses• Loss of jobs• Reduced cash flow• Adverse community

investment

Physical Effects• Damage to buildings• Alteration of landscape• Environmental

contamination

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Recovery

Community Disaster

Recovery

A Guide for BC Local Authorities and First Nations

September 2005 (revised September 2006)

Financial

Assistance for Emergency Response

and Recovery Costs

A Guide for BC Local Authorities

and First Nations

September 2005

•PEP publications to support Local Governments

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RecoveryProvincial Integrated Recovery Council (PIRC) Members

Buddhist Compassion Relief Tzu Chi FoundationBC Assoc. of

Specialized Victim Assistance &

Counselling Prog.

Christian Reformed Church World Relief Committee

Emergency Social Services Assoc.

Society of Saint Vincent de Paul

Ministries of Health Services, Children & Family Development, and Public Safety & Solicitor General

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Response and Recovery ExampleAvian Flu Outbreak - Abbotsford 2004

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Response and Recovery ExampleAvian Flu Outbreak - Abbotsford 2004• 5th largest City in B.C.• Diversified export oriented economy• Economic Engines

• Precision manufacturing• Aerospace• And Farming

• Largest farmgate in the Province • $450 million per year

• Billion dollar industry locally when you include agri-industrial output

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Poultry Industry• Poultry Industry is a sophisticated industry

completely integrated into the local economy

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The local impact - known

• 1700 people who lost or had reduced employment

• An increase of 500 people a month visited the Food Bank in July/August

• 2 feed mills closed• Agricultural related EI claims doubled • 86% increase in late farm class tax payments• 925 EI claims directly related to the poultry

industry

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The local impact - unknown

• “I understand the turmoil that this industry has gone through because I am on the receiving end of the residual effects. I believe that the farmers themselves are confirmed to receive compensation from the government and in most cases will come out ahead of the game.  No one has even asked those of us affected by the tail end of this crisis if we need compensation, we just continue to run our businesses the best way we can to regain our losses ourselves.”

• Letter to Mayor Reeves from a Travel Agent

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Local observations/lessons learned

• We must preserve the infrastructure of the industry• Loss of skilled workers• Specialty flocks that can not be replaced• Mills that close • Markets that are lost

• It is all about communication• Stakeholders (local government)• Community residents and private industry

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Response and Recovery Example - Firestorm 2003

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Observations/lessons learned• Unprecedented duration of emergency • Use of emergency powers needs to be

made accessible by local governments (evacuation of people)

• Firestorm Review chaired by Gary Filmon• 42 separate recommendations

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Response and Recovery Example – Katrina 2004

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Observations/lessons learned

• Communication• Education of community• Preparedness• Coordination of services• Recovery

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Business Continuity

Being Continually Prepared

Senior Advisor: Lisa Benini

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What is it?• Business Continuity Planning

• Definition: “Process of developing and documenting advance arrangements and procedures that enable an organization to respond to an event that lasts for an unacceptable period of time and return to performing its critical functions after an interruption.” source: www.drj.com

• Who executes the plan’s actions?• What needs to recovered?• Where will people go to recover?• When will business be resumed? • How will this be done?

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Why is it important?

• Expectations of key stakeholders• Essential management function• Becoming a common practice• Some industries have set policy for this• Makes good business sense• Sustainability & Survivability

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What will it achieve?

• Protects People, Property, Information & Assets• Identify tolerable outage• Minimizes confusion and chaos• Enable effective decision making• Minimizes loss of data, revenue, clients• Reduces dependency on specific personnel• Coordinate with inter-dependencies• Facilitates timely recovery of business functions• Meet regulatory requirements• Maintains public image and reputation

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What is driving it?

BC Legislation and Policy• Emergency Program Act (1994);

Emergency Program Management Regulation

• Core Policy & Procedure Manual Chapter 16 – Business Continuity Management Program • Specifically for ministries

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Where does this fit in?

SAFETY / EMERGENCY

PREPAREDNESS

CONSEQUENCEMANAGEMENT EMERGENCY

RESPONSE

SECURITY BUSINESS CONTINUITY

CRISISCOMMUNICATIONS

INFORMATIONTECHNOLOGY

RECOVERY

CRITICALINFRASTRUCTURE

RECOVERY

ENTERPRISE-WIDERISK MANAGEMENT

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How is it done?1. Establish the Context

2. Identify, Analyze &Evaluate Risks

3. Business ImpactAnalysis

4. Plan MitigationStrategies

5. Plan BusinessContinuity Strategies

6. Prepare BusinessContinuity Plan

7. Ensure Capability

8. Train and Exercise

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Business ContinuityManagement Program

- Ten Steps -

1 - Establish Context2 - Identify & Assess Risks3 - Review Business & Assess Impact4 - Plan Mitigation Strategies5 - Plan Business Continuity Strategies6 - Prepare Business Continuity Plan7 - Ensure Capability8 - Train and Exercise9 - Communicate and Consult10 - Monitor and Review

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ContainmentAssessmentEscalationNotification

1. _______2. _______3. _______4. _______

OrganizationOrganization

EscalationEscalation

Actions

Actions

ResponsibilitiesResponsibilitiesPrioritiesPriorities

RTOsRTOs

AdministrationAdministrationMaintenance &Maintenance &

ExercisingExercising

AlternateAlternateFacilities & ResourcesFacilities & Resources

RecoveryRecoveryInventoriesInventories

CallLists

What is in a BCP?

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What is the role of Business Continuity within EMBC?

• Ensure compliance with BCM policy• Provide advice/consultation to Ministry

BCM Advisors• Chair a cross government BCM Advisory

Committee• Provide status to DM Council on BCM

programs across government• Manage the govt wide priority list• Integrate with emergency management

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How do we measure progress?

Ministry Priorities

Set **Current

BCPs **Plans

Exercised MOC

Established MOC Plan Exercised

Advisor Assigned

Ja 05

Ju 05

Ja 05

Ju 05

Ja 05

Ju 05

Ja 05

Ju 05

Ja 05

Ju 05

Ja 05

Ju 05

Ministry A

Ministry B

Ministry C

Ministry D 50% 75% 40% 60%

Ministry E

Ministry F

Ministry G 25% 60% 25% 25%

Ministry H

** Based upon the total of mission critical programs with Business Continuity Plans. How many are current and how many are exercised?

Incomplete

In Progress

Complete

BC Government BCM Scorecard

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Ask yourself these questions?

How ready is my organization for a significant business interruption?

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What is important?

• Do you have a Business Continuity Plan?• Has it been exercised and were you involved?• What are your critical business functions?• What is the financial impact to your

organization if you cannot continue your business for 30 days?

• Are there penalties for being late?

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Reliance on IT

• How quickly would your critical financial systems need to be recovered?

• Do you have workarounds or manual procedures if your systems were unavailable for excessive length of time?

• If you can run your functions manually (i.e. without systems), how long? (e.g.1 day, 3 days, 1 week or more)

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Reliance on Information/Data

• What is the potential loss of data if you had to recover from backup that is stored offsite?

• What is an acceptable loss of data/information for your organization?

• Could you recreate this electronic data or paper files?

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Reliance on Dependencies

• Have you asked your vendors whether they have a business continuity plan?

• Have they exercised their BCP within the last year?

• Were you involved?

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Reliance on Vital Records

• Do you know what are your vital records to your organization and where are they located?

• Have you protected your vital paper records from potential losses?

• Are they replicated elsewhere? Is it offsite from your primary site?

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Begin with the Basics…

• Create a staff contact list include alternates• Decide what functions must continue• Discuss alternative ways to continue business • Protect important documents & information• Perform regular backups & store offsite• Create a list of key stakeholders• Document the above and you have started your

business continuity plan…

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Questions?Questions?

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Contact:

wes.shoemaker@gov.bc.ca

cam.filmer@gov.bc.ca

lisa.benini@gov.bc.ca