The Regional District of Bulkley Nechako (RDBN) will be participating in and promoting the annual Emergency Preparedness week this May.
The Emergency Preparedness week, an annual event coordinated by Public Safety Canada will take place this year between May 2 and May 8, to encourage Canadians to protect themselves and their families during emergencies.
The regional district will not only be promoting the importance of emergency preparedness through its programs but will also encourage residents to participate by following their Facebook page and get a chance to win emergency preparedness prizes.
The RDBN currently has four emergency preparedness programs of note. Their FireSmart program provides a free outdoor FireSmart Home Assessment after which a list of personalized recommendations to increase your home鈥檚 resiliency to wildfire are given. By completing any recommendation, residents become eligible for a FireSmart Home Rebate that covers up to 50 per cent of the cost, to a maximum of $500/household.
The regional district is also working to update its overall emergency management system by completing a Hazard Risk & Vulnerability Analysisfor each of the Electoral Areas. To understand what this means, individuals are encouraged to visit www.rdbn.bc.ca/HRVA and submit an Expression of Interest before May 1, 2021.
Last year, the regional district also launched their mass emergency communication system called Voyent Alert! The project which will cost the regional district $11,500 per year, will bring public alerts, important notifications and emergency warnings to residents through SMS, email or even landline. Registration for the service is free and anonymous and the RDBN has been encouraging residents to download the Voyent Alert! application or register with the service.
The RDBN is also launching Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Planning program for electoral area A, to support residents in developing their own neighborhood emergency preparedness plans.
For more information on any of the programs, the RDBN is encouraging residents to call 250-692-3195 or 1-800-320-3339 and ask to speak to a Protective Services Department staff member. Residents can also find more information on the RDBN website, www.rdbn/bc.ca/departments/protective-services
Priyanka Ketkar
Multimedia journalist
priyanka.ketkar@ldnews.net
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