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Families first for B.C. military

Special meeting to be held in Vernon designed to meet emergency needs of first responders’ families
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In times of crisis and natural disasters, such as the recent spate of wildfires, people rely on the help of military members and first responders to stay safe.

But while they’re looking after people, who’s looking after their loved ones?

The Mainland B.C. Military Family Resource Centre (BCMFRC) is putting families first and mustering the first-ever emergency preparedness session in Vernon designed to meet the specific needs of families of military members and first responders in emergency situations.

“During a crisis, the natural reaction for families is to gather together as quickly as possible. However, for families of military members and first responders, that instinct often must be temporarily set aside so service can be given to others. BCMFRC is presenting this session to ensure family members are equally prepared when they become the ones left behind,” said Tracy Cromwell, executive director of BCMFRC.

The emergency preparedness session for families of military members and first responders takes place in Vernon Sunday, Oct. 29, 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., at the Okanagan Regional Library – Vernon Branch at 2800-30th Avenue. To find out more and/or sign up, go to www.bcmfrc.com.

The lives of military and first responder families are unique in light of the combination of stressors they face that may include frequent relocations, persistent short and long-term separation, and the constant risk involved in training and deployed operations.

In a thesis examining how military and first responders endeavour to balance professional and personal duties, author Joseph Shorrocks concluded that personal and family disaster preparedness and planning was found to significantly reduce the professional’s perceived role strain and conflict.

Lt.-Col. Mike McGinty, the Vernon-based commanding officer of the Canadian Armed Forces British Columbia Dragoons, has been deployed twice to Iraq and Afghanistan and once to Bosnia, and is well-acquainted with the reality of being separated from family. The first time he went to Afghanistan, his daughter was 11 months old and his wife, who was still serving full-time in the Armed Forces, was three months pregnant.

“I was a squadron commander, directly engaging the enemy in combat. The honest truth was that I simply didn’t have the capacity to think much about what was going on at home and had to concentrate on the task at hand,” said McGinty. “That said, it was only possible because my wife is one tough cookie and knew there was little practical value I could offer given I had my hands full. She simply coped with everything at home on her own.”

McGinty, who now commands the army’s B.C. response force known as the Territorial Battalion Group, believes the emergency preparedness session will give families of military members and first responders the vital tools they need to deal with a crisis.

In the event of an emergency, military members and first responders will have peace of mind, knowing their families are safe and be able to focus completely on helping their communities and the province as a whole.

newstips@vernonmorningstar.com

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Lieutenant Colonel Mike McGinty, Vernon-based commanding officer of the Canadian Armed Forces British Columbia Dragoons will be speaking at an emergency preparedness session Oct. 29 at the Vernon library. (Submitted photo)