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MLS Sandhu: Preparing for climate emergencies as resilient communities

A column by MLA Harwinder Sandhu
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MLA Harwinder Sandhu organizing bottles of water on July 29. (Contributed)

Communities are at the heart of our province, and your government is ready to support them when they need it. Whether it is supporting non-profit organizations, or investing in programs to help combat climate change, government is supporting the services that British Columbians rely on.

Each and every day, our community faces the effects of a changing climate. Climate change can look like many things, from warm weather in the winter to fires, floods, and heat domes. Vernon-Monashee residents are all too familiar with some of the disastrous consequences that these natural disasters can have.

Climate disasters, like wildfires, have disastrous effects on Vernon-Monashee residents. People have been evacuated from homes, lived with wildfire smoke in the air for months, and even lost property. In these times of crisis, people need support.

Residents across our riding In the face of climate emergencies, our community has stepped up to offer help. I personally want to thank everyone who offered assistance, opened their doors, and provided a safe space for people to stay when they need shelter. When disasters happen we need to stick together and offer compassion for one another.

We know that even as we make progress to stop climate change, we still need to be ready for climate emergencies like this. To help plan, prepare, and prevent disasters, our government has made a historic investment of $180 million in the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund. This money directly supports local governments and First Nations with disaster assessment and planning, emergency services training and equipment, and evacuation planning. Since 2017, this fund has brought $369 million to communities, to keep people safe.

Our government also created ClimateReadyBC, an online hub with the resources and information you, your family, and your community needs when faced with a natural disaster.

ClimateReadyBC has all the information you need to help plan, prepare, and respond to emergencies. Some of the tools you can find include the B.C. Wildfire Dashboard and mobile app, which gives you real time information on all active wildfires and evacuation alerts in B.C. You will also find information about government support that is available, contact information for supports, detailed disaster mapping, as well as frameworks, guidelines, and case studies to assist communities with mitigation and planning.

There is so much at stake for our families, our communities, and all British Columbians. By making investments like these, we can plan and prepare for disasters, and offer better plans and support to minimize damage and recover faster. Together, we can build more resilient communities, to keep you and your family safe. As your MLA, my staff and I are always here to support you in anyway that we can.

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