HRVA - (Hazards, Risks and Vunerabilities) |
Hazards, Risks and VulnerabilitiesThe HRVA (Hazard, Risk and Vulnerability Analysis) report is the foundation document for any community emergency program and is used to strategically plan for and recover from a natural or human caused disaster. Identifying and understanding the hazards, risks and vulnerabilities Kitimat may face allows emergency managers to prepare, possibly prevent, or significantly reduce the impacts and consequences of a known potential hazard. The purpose of an HRVA is to help community leaders make risk-based choices to address vulnerabilities through mitigation, response and recovery efforts. A completed HRVA provides a comparison of any risks that may exist within the District of Kitimat or surrounding area. Kitimat has identified "risks" that focus on the following characteristics:
Hazards with the highest likelihood and greatest consequences are:
Hazards that would result in complex response and recovery include:
Interruptions to Kitimat’s critical infrastructure systems are also identified and create a complex response and recovery effort. It was recognized that the interruptions to either power, communications, water or transportation are hazards themselves and carry major impacts. Each of these four key infrastructure sectors impact one another, other infrastructure and resident’s ability to function, respond and recover significantly. Particular emphasis is on an interruption to, or loss of, a government or healthcare facility (i.e. fire hall, public works building, city hall, or the hospital) which would significantly impede response efforts and affect the community's ability to recover. This could be the result of a secondary impact due to an interruption of the key infrastructure sectors, or a direct impact from a hazard such as an earthquake or interface fire. A detailed analysis has been developed for each of the identified hazards which includes a summary of the impacts, risks and dependencies to critical infrastructure and environmental, social and economic factors. |
Emergency Management Plan |
District of Kitimat Emergency Response and RecoveryThe District of Kitimat is susceptible to numerous hazards. These hazards, risks and vulnerabilities can be human caused, technological such as those involving hazardous materials, infrastructure disruptions that could involve utility and power failures, and natural hazards such as severe weather.
The intention of the District of Kitimat Emergency Management Plan is to provide the framework within which extraordinary arrangements and measures can be taken to protect the health, safety, and welfare of the residents and visitors of the District of Kitimat when faced with an emergency.
The plan combines the efforts of District organizations for a comprehensive and effective approach for responding to and reducing the impacts of a major emergency. It is intended to increase the emergency response capability of the District of Kitimat by establishing a plan of action to efficiently and effectively deploy emergency services.
Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)In the event that an incident cannot be adequately managed from the site, or there are multiple sites, support will be provided through activation of the Emergency Operations Centre. Members of Council and the Emergency Executive Committee, as identified in Part 12 of the Municipal Code, have the authority to activate the EOC. By Declaration of a State of Provincial Emergency, the Director of the Provincial Emergency Program also has the authority to activate a municipal EOC. The EOC is a central location where local government officials provide inter-agency coordination, communications, policy guidance, resource acquisition and executive decision-making for coordinating and supporting emergency response and recovery efforts.
The District’s primary EOC is located at the Public Safety Building with an alternate facility at the Riverlodge Recreation Centre or City Hall. A third option is the Kitimat Fire and Ambulance Mobile Command Vehicle if it is not being used at the incident site.
The following individuals may authorize activation of the EOC:
ActivationThe EOC may be activated if one or more of the following criteria apply:
The level of EOC activation is determined by the magnitude and scope of the event. Only those EOC functions and positions that are required to meet current response objectives are activated. If staff are not assigned to a function or role, the next available staff position in the EOC organization will assume responsibility and the tasks assigned. If an individual is unsure of which level to activate, the EOC is activated to the higher level since it is easier to scale back than to ramp up.
A risk specific guides help navigate the identified key threats for which the District is susceptible to. These risks have a number of dependencies on our critical infrastructure as these systems have complex relationships, dependencies, and interdependencies that cross infrastructure boundaries. Interruptions to power, communications, water/sanitary, or transportation, are hazards themselves, and carry major impacts. Each of these four key infrastructure sectors - power, communications, water, and transportation - impact one another, other infrastructure, and resident’s ability to function, respond and recover and would impact a large cross section of the community. Emergency Management Plan pdf version |
Evacuation Plan |
District of Kitimat Evacuation Plan - Public
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Flood Mapping |
Flood mapping is a way to illustrate where flooding could take place and helps a community know more about where construction can happen and to what specifications. The District of Kitimat retained the services of McElhanney in 2022 to update flood mapping, which had not been updated since the 1980s. A report provided shows updated flood mapping and identifies key areas the District of Kitimat will address over the coming years. You can read the full Flood Mapping report here under the City Services Tab, "Flood Mapping". |
Tsunami Plan |
As a coastal community the District of Kitimat has a tsunami plan. See the public version of the full District of Kitimat Tsunami Plan in pdf document here.
For a simple list of Do's and Don't in the event of a Tsunami:
Tsunami Detection and Notification
What To Do When a Tsunami Alert is Received |
Emergency Support Services (volunteer opportunity) |
Emergency Social Services:Contact info: Steve Dielschneider 778-876-7390 ess@kitimat.ca
Emergency Support Services (ESS) provides short-term basic support to people impacted by disasters. The program is financed by Emergency Management BC (EMBC) and administered by Indigenous communities and local governments. Emergency Support Services (ESS) volunteersEmergency Support Services (ESS) is a provincial program for local authorities and Indigenous governments to deliver services to the public in an emergency. They often depend on volunteers to coordinate these services for people forced from their homes because of an emergency. Read more about the Emergency Support Services program. What volunteers doVolunteer responsibilities may include:
Training is provided and a Criminal Record Check may be required. |
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