The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) discussed search and rescue (SAR) at a recent meeting.

Andy Muma, Houston Search and Rescue president, Paul Broen, Fort St. James Search and Rescue president, and Joan Burdeniuk, BC Search and Rescue regional director, attended the meeting. Unfortunately, Nicole Gerow, 亚洲天堂 Lake Search and Rescue president and Lorn Kennedy, Nechako Valley search manager, couldn鈥檛 attend.

Muma addressed board about the emergency preparedness issue for search and rescue teams in Northwest B.C. He said that Houston SAR applied for a canine search and rescue operation but was turned down by the province. He informed the board that the Emergency Management and Climate Readiness (EMCR) director had placed a moratorium on the province鈥檚 78 SAR teams three years ago which restricts them from adding new capabilities despite repeated applications and requests.

The moratorium are things such as tracking, swift-water operations, winter responses, avalanche rescue and canine-assisted searches. Currently, EMCR is also not allowing SAR teams to do flat-ice rescue. SAR teams are also prohibited from using Artemis, which turns a cellphone into a beacon to locate missing people in areas without cell service.

He informed board that there were some rescue operation training that required the SAR director鈥檚 approval, such as - basic ground search and rescue, tracking canine search, helicopter hover exit, flat water and ice, winter response with water rescue, rope rescue, urban search rescue, mountain rescue, Class D helicopter rescue and helicopter night vision. 鈥淲e are unable to continue with training or equipment purchases without EMCR approval,鈥� Muma said.

He said that the EMCR has asked SAR teams to do a needs assessment, but due to the restrictions, it鈥檚 not viable.

Muma stated that most of the 78 SAR teams across the province have more than 40 years of experience. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 understand why a needs assessment is required,鈥� he said.

Burdeniuk, BC SAR regional director, said that EMCR and other agencies like RCMP were asking for a needs assessment to identify areas that may not require SAR operations. She stated that this process significantly impacted the teams and needs to be simplified.

After the presentation, Mark Parker, RDBN chairperson, said the board would look into this and try to resolve it.

Cleanfarms

Representatives from Cleanfarms also did a presentation on their pilot project, which had been running since 2021 within the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako.

Shane Hedderson, Cleanfarms western region director, updated board that the pilot project is nearing its end. Hedderson said the pilot project鈥檚 job was to collect empty crop protection containers and obsolete animal and pesticide medical containers. He added that Cleanfarms ran these programs every three years and has operated within the Regional District of Bulkley Nechako for many years.

Hedderson said the pilot project鈥檚 current Canadian Agricultural Strategic Priorities Program (CASPP) fund is nearing its end. He said that CASPP announced that there will be another round of funding, and the application due date is on April 1, which doesn鈥檛 align with the pilot project鈥檚 completion. He suggested the board for an additional three-year extension of the pilot project. He added that there鈥檚 also a one-year extension option, but RDBN must fully fund it.

Cleanfarms is a nonprofit organization that collaborates with farmers, agencies and the government to ensure a sustainable future and a healthy environment. The organization collects bailed plastic, which farmers drop off at the regional district鈥檚 transfer stations for processing.

Chairperson Parker announced that the board would internally discuss the matter after the presentation, which everyone agreed upon.

Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA)

Chairperson Parker said that Browinn Ma, minister of emergency management and climate readiness, had assured that they had taken feedback from the emergency task force and regional districts on EDMA and already implemented them.

Linda McGuire, Granisle mayor, asked about the update on wildfire emergency groups ending up in jail.

Clint Lambert, RDBN Francois/Ootsa Lake director, said that EDMA had both positive and negative sides. As fire season approaches, he emphasized that locals should have more power to control emergencies. He added that already more than 100 wildfires are burning in B.C.

Chairperson Parker said that the conversation on EDMA is still ongoing and it would take some time to reach a resolution. At the end of the discussion, he asked whether everyone had more questions about the update. Seeing none, he carried the motion to get more updates from the province, and board agreed to it.