A fire ecologist, indigenous leader and disaster management expert are among a diverse line up of speakers to present at a conference on emergency preparedness in Fernie this week.
More than 200 people are expected to attend the 2018 Association of Kootenay Boundary Local Governments (AKBLG) Convention and Annual General Meeting from April 18-20.
This year’s event is themed “emergency preparedness” with convention sessions being held at the Community Centre and Park Place Lodge.
“Every local government can benefit from increased preparedness for unexpected events,” said AKBLG Convention co-chairwoman and Radium Hot Springs mayor, Clara Reinhardt.
“Given the devastation we had with wildfires, landslides and floods in the Kootenays and Boundary in last few years, it is imperative that elected officials and staff are well aware of the risks and hazards, and prepared to respond and manage the next emergency.”
The AKBLG represents the municipalities and electoral areas of southeastern British Columbia, and delegates have travelled from communities throughout East, Central and West Kootenay and the Boundary.
They will hear from a diverse group of agencies and presenters, who will share their first hand experiences, and provide insights into improving proficient management and response to emergencies.
Reinhardt said other program highlights included keynote speaker Chief Joe Pierre, test drives of electric vehicles, and pre-and post-convention workshops.
“The committee has attempted to create an agenda with something for every size of community,” she said.
The convention will provide an economic boost for Fernie, which hasn’t hosted the event since 2004.
As well as attending sessions, delegates had a chance to visit the Elkview mine in Sparwood or take part in a heritage walking tour of Fernie yesterday.
“Fernie will take this opportunity to showcase the town and what it has to offer,” said Mayor Mary Giuliano.
“With 200 people visiting here for this convention there is sure to be an economic impact in the form of shopping in our unique businesses, visiting the many great restaurants and for lodging stays.”
Human trafficking on the agenda
Fernie government officials and schoolchildren will learn the grim realities of a human trafficking “pandemic” that is gripping the province.
Cathy Peters is a former secondary school teacher who has spent the past five years working to raise awareness about human trafficking, sexual exploitation and youth and child exploitation across B.C.
In two years, she has made more than 120 presentations to the public, police and politicians about a “rapidly growing pandemic” that is targeting the province’s most vulnerable.
Peters is in Fernie at the special request of Mayor Mary Giuliano.
On Thursday, she will address students at Fernie Secondary School ahead of her appearance at the 2018 Association ofKootenay Boundary Local Government (AKBLG) Convention.
“Emergency preparedness applies not only to land and material possessions but also to people’s lives if threatened during floods, fires, landslides and in the kidnapping of our youth for placement into the sex trade,”said Giuliano.
“As a mother that has raised five children this is something so abhorrent to me that I want other parents to comprehend the seriousness of the issue and how huge it has become in the province.”
Giuliano urged any Parent Advisory Council members interested in attending the presentation to contact her.
Peters will speak at Fernie Secondary at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday before her scheduled appearance at the AKBLG Convention from 3:15-4:00 p.m.