Municipal Affairs and Environment
May 9, 2017
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Eddie Joyce, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment.
Emergency Preparedness Week
Mr. Speaker, I rise today to talk about Emergency Preparedness Week, taking place May 7 to the 13th and to encourage municipalities and residents to be ready for emergencies.
Our government is encouraging awareness of emergency preparedness and supporting activities at the local level. We continue to collaborate with federal and municipal governments and stakeholders in the emergency management sector, encouraging everyone to take three simple steps to prepare: know the risks; make a plan; get an emergency kit. Information on the emergency toolkit is available at www.getprepared.gc.ca 
I would like to acknowledge and thank our community partners who continue to work with us whenever we are faced with an emergency. The staff of the Fire and Emergency Services Division work hard every day in assisting municipalities as they deal with, respond to and recover from fire, emergencies, and disasters.
During the Thanksgiving rain storm event in the central region and the March wind event on the Avalon Peninsula, emergency management partners and all levels of government came together quickly and appropriately to support impacted individuals in their time of need. Municipalities were well prepared in these instances, following their emergency management plans. The quick and efficient response at the community and volunteer level made the greatest difference in ensuring that residents were cared for and safe.
I also would like to extend appreciation to all our province’s emergency management partners, including volunteer firefighters, ambulance operators, and 911 operators, just to name a few. It is our hope that they will be called up on for their services less often, as we ensure preparedness through awareness initiatives such as Emergency Preparedness Week.
Thank you.
2017 05 09 2:05 p.m.