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Emergency Management
The City of New Westminster's Emergency Management Program includes community outreach and awareness, emergency planning and training, and steps that help us respond to and recover from emergency situations.
Four Phases of Emergency Management
Mitigation
Preventing and minimizing disasters by eliminating or reducing hazards.
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Preparedness
Ensuring people and communities are ready to respond quickly and effectively in the event of a disaster.
- Emergency Preparedness Presentations
- Building emergency kits
- Create household emergency plans
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Response
Effectively reacting when disasters occur to limit and manage the negative impacts it has on people, places and things.
- Fire and Rescue
- Emergency Support Services providing support to displaced residents
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Recovery
Building back better, stronger and more inclusively after disasters happen and supporting people along the way.
- Repairing public infrastructure
- Returning evacuees
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City Planning and Preparedness
An emergency or natural disaster can occur anytime and anywhere. This could mean a fire, earthquake, flooding, extreme heat, or a major traffic accident. We strive to be a prepared community, ready to respond to any situation. Provincial and federal organizations also play a key role in emergency planning and response.
Weather Advisories
Climate change and global warming have impacted the way weather and weather patterns can affect the Lower Mainland. The fall and winter months tend to bring heavy rains, winds and snow, but spring storms are not unusual. Localized flooding and power outages are all possible during these weather events. In the summer months, the City sometimes experiences high temperatures and drought, which can result in water shortages and fire bans. Alert banners will be posted on the website during these events, with links to resources as needed. The City also maintains an Extreme Weather and Emergency Response line at 604-239-4936.
Emergency Operations Centre
During major emergencies, onsite responders need coordination, resource direction, and support. To provide this support, the City sets up an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) away from the incident in a pre-designated facility. The EOC provides policy direction to Incident Commanders, coordinates resource requests from the incident site, and manages all off-site activities.
Designated City staff have been trained in the setup and operation of an EOC and the incident command system. Exercises and drills are conducted monthly to ensure staff members stay up to date with their training.