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Prince George gets seat on province’s new emergency task force

City of Prince George’s manager of emergency programs Tanya Spooner has been appointed to the task force
Hanna Petersen
Hanna Petersen
emergency-reception-centre
Tanya Spooner, City of Prince George manager of emergency programs, checks out an information board for wildfire evacuees at the city emergency reception centre this past summer.Citizen photo by Arthur Williams

Prince George has representation on the province’s new emergency task force.

When passed, the new emergency and disaster management act will implement a more proactive approach to emergency management - with an emphasis on disaster risk reduction - to safeguard people and communities.

Complementing the legislation, the emergencies task force, made up of 14 experts in emergency and wildfire management, will begin work immediately and provide action-oriented recommendations on enhancing emergency preparedness and response in advance of the 2024 wildfire season.

One of those 14 experts is Tanya Spooner, manager of emergency programs, with the City of Prince George.

Premier David Eby has appointed representatives from the province, First Nations, local governments and other experts to the task force.

The team will identify lessons learned from the 2023 wildfire season, and opportunities to improve preparedness, mitigation, response and recovery to better support people on the front lines of emergencies.

The province says task force members will draw on their individual expertise, and will engage with front-line workers, First Nations, local governments and key industries, such as agriculture and tourism that experienced challenges during the 2023 wildfire season.

The new legislation, introduced on Tuesday, Oct. 3, incorporates lessons learned from recent emergencies and reflects modern risks and realities, including climate change and transmissible diseases, such as COVID-19.

The legislation adheres to the United Nations' best practices for disaster risk reduction and incorporates all four phases of emergency management: mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery and formally recognizes First Nations' inherent right of self-government in relation to emergency management. 

Implementation of the emergency and disaster management act will be phased in over time. The province is working with First Nations and local governments to ensure they have the support they need to successfully implement the legislation.