An Emergency tabletop exercise was held on March 1, at the Barriere Ridge specifically for Incident Commanders, District of Barriere operational managers, local Emergency Support Services (ESS) and local EOC (Emergency Operations Center) members.
An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is a central command and control facility responsible for carrying out the principles of emergency preparedness and emergency management, or disaster management functions at a strategic level during an emergency, and ensuring the continuity of operation under the responsibility of the EOC.
The half day session was facilitated by Steve Newton, a retired Emergency Management BC (EMBC) staff member.
Approximately 30 individuals attended the tabletop which used a scenario that activated the local EOC using the scenerio of a wildfire on Crown Land in the TNRD Area O in the Dixon Creek Valley. The participants worked through the scenerio from the beginning to the mop up stages, which reinforced the duties and responsibilities of each member of the EOC. The group discussed, problem solved, and made recommendations.
“Next steps will be to meet again in the near future with the main local groups who have District of Barriere Emergency Plans to compare possible overlaps and gaps with respect to pulling on the necessary resources during an emergency,” said District of Barriere CAO Colleen Hannigan.