Emergency Management Unit Projects

The Emergency Management Unit is leading a number of projects within the health sector to improve the overall level of provincial preparedness in the event of a large scale emergency or disruption.

Hazardous Substance Response Project

The Hazardous Substance Response Program is working to ensure that all health facilities that may receive patients contaminated with hazardous substances have the plans, equipment, and training needed to provide care in a safe manner.

Training and Exercise Program

The training and exercise program exists to ensure that all personnel who may be involved in emergency activities are trained in the implementation of the Emergency Response plan and the British Columbia Emergency Response Management System to their expected assignment levels or job functions.

E Team: Emergency Management Information System

E Team is a web-based software tool that facilitates decision making and allows for a quicker, more effective response by enabling users to easily gather, analyze, and share information. The project has identified E Team as a tool for health sector emergency managers and first responders that will facilitate the task of managing incidents, disasters, and planned events.

Business Continuity Planning

Business continuity planning ensures the availability of government services, programs and operations, including all resources involved, and the timely resumption of services in the event of a major failure, emergency or disaster.

Special Events Preparedness

The Ministry of Health Services (MoHS) is charged with providing strategic leadership, coordination, and oversight to ensure the province meets its health service commitments to the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Disaster Psychosocial Project

The Disaster Psychosocial Project works collaboratively to produce a comprehensive psychosocial response plan for individuals, families and responders in the event of a disaster in British Columbia. It is developing the resources and capability, with best practices in mind, to provide a full range of psychosocial services.

Pandemic Preparedness Planning

British Columbia has a robust health emergency management system with experience responding to a range of events, including SARS and avian influenza. The province is actively engaged with health partners across Canada to ensure a coordinated and consistent approach to pandemic influenza planning.