The Tsawwassen First Nation (TFN) is one of 84 First Nations and local governments in B.C. to receive provincial emergency-preparedness funding to help improve emergency operations centres (EOCs) and better equip them to respond to emergencies.
The province last week announced the $3.2 million from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund will enable communities to build or upgrade EOCs, purchase equipment and enhance capacity through volunteer recruitment, retention and training.
Of that amount, the TFN will receive $9,720 for EOC training in 2022.
The Community Emergency Preparedness Fund is administered through the Union of BC Municipalities (UBCM).
The fund is a suite of funding streams intended to enhance community resilience. Throughout the year, First Nations and local governments have the opportunity to submit applications for other streams, including public notification and evacuation planning and Indigenous cultural safety training and cultural humility training, the province notes.
Meanwhile, the City of Delta wants municipalities to have some financial help from the province to help residents during extreme heat events.
One of several resolutions Delta is putting forward at the upcoming UBCM convention this September asks for the government to recognize extreme heat events as public health emergencies, similar to the Extreme Weather Response program, as well as providing funding for municipal response measures.
