Report on Emergency Response to Hurricane Juan

EMERGENCY MEASURES ORGANIZATION--Report on Emergency Response to Hurricane Juan

Nova Scotians are invited to comment on a report released today, Dec. 2, on the province's emergency response to Hurricane Juan.

The report is a summary of the debriefing that took place at the Emergency Measures Organization(EMO) on Oct. 29, 2003. EMO holds a debriefing after every major emergency to determine how the response was handled and identify areas of improvements.

"I am very proud of the co-ordinated effort that responded to the hurricane, which I believe helped foster a sense of stability and optimism among Nova Scotians," said Ernest Fage, Minister responsible for the Emergency Measures Act. "No matter how good a response is, we can always learn from our experience. We have heard from the agencies involved in the response and now we are asking Nova Scotians for their comments."

The report describes the overall response effort by focusing on two key topics: the breadth, scope, strengths and weaknesses of the emergency response effort; and the lessons learned as a result of that effort. Recommendations centre around three main areas: improved use of resources and people, improved operational protocols and improved communications.

The summary report and the verbatim account of the debriefing can be found on EMO's website at http://www.gov.ns.ca/emo . Copies of the summary report are available at all Access Nova Scotia Centres across the province.

Nova Scotians can comment on the emergency response by e-mail at [email protected], by mail to Response to Hurricane Juan, P.O. Box 608, Halifax, NS, B3J 2R7, or by calling 424-7609 or 1- 800-607-5565 before Dec. 31, 2003.

Comments will be compiled and reported back to the Provincial Emergency Activation Team.