Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is a critical component of emergency preparedness. Every organization in the world that provides a product or service, and/or interacts with customers or community members must have a business continuity plan in place. Without it, emergency interruptions - be it a natural disaster or a technology failure - can cause catastrophic losses to an organization in not only revenue, but also resources, employee and customer trust, and brand perception. Simply, BCP is an integral component of a good business strategy and makes good business sense. What IS business con ..read more

Flooding is one of the most common, pervasive, and costliest natural hazards in Canada, with a history of causing major disasters. The risk of flooding tends to change based on the season as it can be caused by snow melt, sudden and aggressive rain storms, rain on snow events, or debris in waterways causing overtopping of banks or sudden redirection of the waterway. Recovering from flooding can be challenging, particularly as insurance coverage may be limited, extraordinarily costly, or unavailable depending on the type of flooding (i.e., sewer backup versus overland flooding). The Role of Co ..read more

It is early May 2023, and the news in Canada is already filled with stories and images of large-scale wildfires burning near communities. These wildfires are causing evacuations, destroying property, and disrupting daily life for thousands of people. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) predicts the severity of the wildfire season will be "well above average" for most of Western Canada.  It is a good time to ask: Is your community prepared for the wildfire season? The Role of Communities in Wildfire Season   Wildfire management is complex, especially when the seasonal severi ..read more

CCEM Strategies proudly supports Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week, recognized annually in May. The focus for EP Week 2023 is Natural Resources Canada’s Earthquake Early Warning System, which will become operational in 2024. It’s a good reminder for all of us to prepare for not only an earthquake, but also any kind of public emergency. Why you need to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours In the event of a natural disaster, such as an earthquake or major flood, emergency responders will be overwhelmed, and utilities such as water and electricity may be impacted, so it’s important that you an ..read more

The countdown is over! It’s May 7—the start of Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week. Running from May 7 to 13, 2023, EP Week is a national event coordinated by Public Safety Canada in collaboration with the provinces, territories, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations and private sector organizations. What does EP Week mean for you and your organization? EP Week is a reminder for us to be prepared for any type of emergency and encourages everyone to take these three simple steps: Know the risks. Make a plan. Get, or build, an emergency kit. These three steps can he ..read more

Tsunami Preparedness Week in BC is April 9 – 15! Are you, or your business, prepared for a tsunami? With many coastal communities in British Columbia vulnerable to impacts from a destructive tsunami, it’s vital you know how to prepare and react to a tsunami alert. British Columbia’s coastal areas have the highest risk of tsunamis in Canada and it’s no coincidence that BC is also the province at most risk for a major earthquake . Most commonly, tsunamis are caused by large undersea earthquakes, which can create massive waves. While it may take hours for waves from an offshore earthquake to reac ..read more

Ensuring Canada’s Critical Infrastructure System is Ready and Resilient Can you imagine what would happen if an incident such as a natural disaster compromised our transportation, food or even energy Critical Infrastructure (CI) systems? In November 2021, British Columbians didn’t have to. It became reality when an unprecedented amount of rain from an atmospheric river destroyed several highways, essentially cutting off access routes in and out of the south coast of the province. No one escaped the impacts, which ranged from grocery store shortages to prolonged highway closures, isolating comm ..read more

Knowing these earthquake myths may help keep you safe We can’t predict when an earthquake will happen but given that we live in an earthquake zone—more than 1,000 occur on average in western Canada* every year, but most are too small to be felt—it’s likely we’ll experience one in our lifetime. But by educating ourselves so we know what to do when the ground starts to shake, we can reduce our risk of getting injured. Here are the top 5 myths people think they should do during an earthquake and what you should do instead. 1. MYTH: During an earthquake, seek a doorway for protection. While doorwa ..read more

When disaster strikes, having a plan in place to protect your workforce is an essential part of your business continuity plan. More often than not, planning and executing an emergency drill takes a backseat among other priorities, but with the frequency of natural disasters on the rise, preparing your organization for an emergency is of utmost importance. In British Columbia, one of the greatest threats is an earthquake. There are more than 3,000 earthquakes in British Columbia every year, though most are not large enough to cause any damage.  Understanding how to protect yourself and you ..read more

After witnessing the devastating effects of the April 2016 earthquakes in Ecuador and Japan, it’s increasingly difficult to deny the importance of planning and preparing for earthquakes. According to the Insurance Bureau of Canada, over 60% of British Columbians live in a region where some of the largest earthquakes in the world occur. And, if you’re located in coastal areas, your chances of being affected increase. In the coastal state of California, the cost of earthquakes equates to over $60 billion in losses since 1971. The losses include the destruction of building and infrastructures, as ..read more