The BCGEU welcomes this week's release of Government's Action Plan: Responding to wildfire and flood risks ('The Action Plan') by the provincial government, and applauds the actions outlined in the report to better prepare British Columbians for extreme wildfires and floods. At the same time, more will need to be done to mitigate the effects of what now appears to be the new normal in our province, and the BCGEU looks forward to seeing continued progress.

"The plan details important actions, both taken and underway, to improve emergency preparedness and response to wildfires and floods in B.C.," says BCGEU President Stephanie Smith. "I am especially pleased to see plans to develop mental health recovery programs and supports for workers and people from affected communities, a wide-ranging emphasis on partnership and coordination with First Nations and Indigenous groups as well as improvements to Emergency Social Services."

Earlier this year the BCGEU engaged its members working on the front lines of these disasters to develop a submission to the B.C. government's fire review. (Read BCGEU's submission here.) The resulting May 2018 report from Chief Maureen Chapman and George Abbott, Addressing the New Normal: 21st Century Disaster Management in British Columbia, (the Abbott/Chapman Report) made 108 recommendations to improve disaster response practices.

The Action Plan responds to recommendations in the Abbot/Chapman Report and demonstrates progress, or plans being developed, to address many of the recommendations brought forward by the BCGEU's earlier submission. However, more needs to be done on the part of government to strengthen risk response such as building capacity within Emergency Management BC and the natural resource ministries, addressing the serious staff turnover issue in the BC Wildfire Service, and enhancing road maintenance. The union hopes to see additional issues such as these addressed in updates to the Action Plan moving forward.

The BCGEU is one of the largest and most diverse unions in British Columbia and its members provide direct wildfire protection services across the province, as well as provincial emergency response services to B.C.'s communities.

Download a PDF copy of the BCGEU submission to the review

See also Wildfire report adopts elements of BCGEU submission, but improvement possible and BCGEU Members size up B.C.'s worst summer of natural disasters

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