Working Together to Keep Nova Scotians Safe

EMERGENCY MEASURES ORGANIZATION--Working Together to Keep Nova Scotians Safe

An emergency situation can strike with little or no warning. When it does, every second is valuable.

That's why all levels of government work together to plan, prevent and prepare for emergencies.

Prepare Now! Learn How! is the theme for Emergency Preparedness Week taking place between May 1 and May 7. This week serves as an important reminder of the need to learn how to be properly prepared for any emergency situation.

"By co-ordinating our efforts and sharing resources, we can ensure that we are prepared for any emergency situation and that Nova Scotians are as safe as possible," said Ernest Fage, Minister responsible for Nova Scotia's Emergency Measures Organization (EMO).

EMO is responsible for co-ordinating communications and emergency planning among all levels of government in Nova Scotia. It provides emergency preparedness training to emergency responders and planners for all levels of government and the private sector.

EMO also works with governments and various groups to develop strategies that help to ensure anyone with a role in emergency response knows about, and follows, the necessary plans and procedures.

During an emergency, EMO often co-ordinates response efforts from the Joint Emergency Operations Centre (JEOC) in Dartmouth. The JEOC is a partnership among emergency measures organizations at all three levels of government - the only one of its kind in Canada. It is here that officials gather to allocate support services and other resources.

"Emergency management will always be a co-operative effort and the centre has really made a difference in this respect," said Craig MacLaughlan, executive director of EMO. "When an emergency happens, no one person or organization can respond alone. We all must plan and work together and the JEOC has helped achieve this."

The emergency operations centre is activated when a disaster or major emergency occurs in the province or offshore.

When an emergency situation strikes, the municipality is the first level of government to respond under Nova Scotia's Emergency Measures Act. Each of Nova Scotia's 55 municipalities has its own emergency plan and an emergency measures co-ordinator who develops and carries out the plan.

If the need for resources is beyond what the municipality can provide, municipal officials work with EMO to request provincial government assistance. EMO may also call upon the federal government for specialized resources and expertise. Agreements with provinces in Atlantic Canada and the New England states are also in place that make additional resources available.

For more information on emergency preparedness, see the Nova Scotia Emergency Measures Organization's website at www.gov.ns.ca/emo .