Co-ordinators Meet in Truro

Municipal emergency measures co-ordinators from across the province are attending a conference in Truro today, May 17, and Thursday, May 18, to discuss policy and issues, as well as to conduct an emergency training exercise.

The co-ordinators will discuss disaster financial assistance, emergency social services and the new provincewide trunk mobile radio system. They will also participate in a workshop on Thursday that will see participants create and run an emergency exercise.

"This annual event is an excellent chance for emergency measures co-ordinators from all over the province to meet and discuss emergency preparedness," said Jamie Muir, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act, who will open the conference. "It also provides a forum for building relationships, forging alliances and sharing experiences."

The conference is hosted by Nova Scotia's Emergency Measures Organization. Municipalities provide the first level of response in an emergency. In the event of a major emergency, the Emergency Measures Organization becomes the window to needed provincial government resources. Resources would also be available from the federal government and through agreements with provinces in Atlantic Canada and the New England states.

The province's Emergency Measures Organization also supports the emergency management process on an ongoing basis by providing training, advice and evaluation to responders at all levels.

Each of Nova Scotia's 55 municipalities has an emergency measures co-ordinator. It is expected that most of them will attend the conference.

"Although the province mandates municipalities to have an emergency management program in place, we very much see emergency planning as a co-operative effort," said Mr. Muir. "We applaud the dedication of these men and women, many of them volunteers, who work diligently to prepare for an event which they hope never happens."