Regional emergency program
The Kelowna Fire Department administers the Central Okanagan Regional Emergency Plan. The plan supports all local governments including Kelowna, Lake Country, Peachland, West Kelowna, Westbank First Nations and the Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO).
Central Okanagan Emergency Operations
The plan is designed to:
- Assist emergency personnel in responding quickly and effectively to potential disasters such as wildfires, landslides, major storms, chemical spills, floods, plane crashes, or earthquakes
- Provide a concentrated assessment and decision-making body that’s best-equipped to utilize all available resources within RDCO and, if necessary, from the provincial and/or federal governments
- Provide guidelines for recovery after an emergency.
Representatives from each local government, as well as fire, police, health care, public works, transportation, media liaison, communications and emergency social services, meet regularly to fine-tune and practice the plan, which includes activating the Emergency Operations Centre. Larger businesses and the local school district routinely participate in full-scale exercises.
The plan, which is constantly evolving, goes hand-in-hand with the British Columbia Emergency Management System. The Provincial Emergency Program is notified as soon as the plan is activated.
The emergency program is supported by volunteers in our local emergency social services program. These volunteers provide support to people displaced by emergencies and are a critical asset to our community’s response.
There are other volunteers involved with program, including members of Orchard City Amateur Radio Club or one of the many other supporting organizations in our community that step up to help in times of need.
Visit Central Okanagan Emergency Operations for more information on emergency preparedness.
