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Sarah Clarke
Office of the Fire Commissioner
November 14, 2006
Dear Stakeholders:
I would like to advise you of the establishment of the Emergency Management
BC (EMBC) which will oversee the integrated strategic planning, mitigation,
response and recovery activities for British Columbia. David Morhart,
the Deputy Solicitor General, announced this agency on November 10th
in the following message.
EMBC will be the umbrella organization that encompasses the already
strong programs we have in place within the Ministry of Public Safety
and Solicitor General, including the Office of the Fire Commissioner
(OFC), Provincial Emergency Program (PEP), and the British Columbia
Coroners Service. Each of these programs will continue to have the
same mandate, and EMBC will be the mechanism to provide integrated
strategic opportunities for further leverage and partnership both
within this ministry, across government, and with external stakeholder
agencies.
Wes Shoemaker has been appointed Associate Deputy Minister responsible
for EMBC and will work closely with David Hodgins (OFC), Cam Filmer
of the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) and Terry Smith, Chief Coroner,
of the Coroners Service to provide a centralized point of contact
for all emergency management responsibilities within government. Wes
will begin his new role in early December.
The Office of the Fire Commissioner will continue to fulfill its mandate
which is the promotion of fire prevention, life safety and property
protection programs. We will continue to work closely with local governments
and fire services organizations to achieve these objectives:
Provide fire code advice and guidance
Develop public education programs and fire safety materials
Provide evaluation and best practice information to support local
fire departments
Assist in the coordination of firefighter training
Provide LAFC training
Undertake major fire investigations
Support provincial response to major emergencies
Fire reporting and statistical analysis.
Please e-mail us at OFC@gov.bc.ca
or call us at 250-356-9000 in Victoria if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
E. David Hodgins
E. David Hodgins, CEM
Assistant Deputy Minister/Fire Commissioner
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