The Powell River Regional District has a basic Emergency Management Program for all of its Electoral Areas. The purpose of this program is to protect residents, visitors, public infrastructure, the environment and property in the event of major emergencies or disasters including natural disasters, man-made disasters and public health emergencies.
The major elements of the PRRD’s Emergency Program are:
- Hazard, Risk & Vulnerability Analysis
- Emergency Plan & Ongoing Work
- Ongoing Planning
- Personal Preparedness
To sustain this Program, the PRRD has an Emergency Management Committee composed of elected officials, PRRD staff and our Emergency Coordinator.
Whenever necessary, the Regional District will work in conjunction with the City of Powell River (which has its own program and plan) and with the Sliammon First Nation.
LEGAL AUTHORITIES
Provincial legislation requires all regional districts to do emergency planning. The most important pieces of provincial legislation include Emergency Program Act and the Local Authority Emergency Planning Regulations. The provincial agency responsible for emergency planning is PEP: Provincial Emergency Program.
Local Bylaws 382 and 396 govern how the Powell River Regional District’s emergency service is established, funded and administered.
HAZARD, RISK & VULNERABILITY ANALYSIS
Major Risks: wildfires, severe weather events and earthquakes. This determination is based on work conducted by a locally-based consultant and committees of long-time residents who worked through a format and information provided by the Provincial Emergency Program.
Tsunami: the electoral areas of our region are not at significant risk from a devastating tsunami wave. This assessment is based on a researched report prepared for our electoral areas.
EMERGENCY PLAN & ONGOING WORK

Our Emergency Plan outlines how the Regional District will coordinate emergency response measures including contingency and recovery plans. It was prepared by a consultant who again worked with committees of long-time residents and elected officials. The Plan is reviewed annually by the Emergency Planning Committee and it will be revised to meet any new or changing conditions in our region.
The PRRD has received $1706.65 from the Government of Canada to assist with the purchase of 2 satellite phones. The phones will be an important part of the communication equipment back-up plan and will be used in the Emergency Operations Centre and for remote electoral areas. If needed, the phones can also be used by the City and the Sliammon First Nation.
We have now developed Local Area Plans reflecting the uniqueness of our electoral areas:
Area A - North
Area A - Savary Island
Area B & C
Area D
Area E - Lasqueti
PERSONAL PREPARDENESS
All preparedness for major emergencies and disasters is predicated on the assumption that individuals and families recognize and consider the threats to which they may be exposed in the areas in which they live and that they will take prudent measures to prevent, mitigate and prepare for hazardous events.
Our Regional District offers limited services and has a very small
staff, so personal preparedness is particularly important for residents
of our electoral. Please click on this
link
to see what you can do to be more prepared.
If you have more questions
or concerns, please contact our emergency coordinator Ryan Thoms.
CONTACTS & LINKS

- Ryan Thoms, PRRD Emergency Coordinator: emergcoord@powellriverrd.bc.ca
- BC Hydro Power outages: www.bchydro.com/outages
- Provincial Emergency Program: pep.bc.ca
- Winter power outages: www.mb.ec.gc.ca/air/wintersevere/power.en.html
-
Get Prepared:
www.getprepared.ca
-
Wildfire Management:
www.bcwildfire.ca
- Pandemics & health matters-Vancouver Coastal Health Authority: www.vch.ca
