Emergency Response Information

Snuneymuxw First Nation works closely with the government of British Columbia to be prepared for emergencies in four ways:

Mitigation
Preparation
Response
Recovery

Mitigation

Emergency Planning Coordinator

Andrew VanBuskirk
Phone: 250-250-667-3276
Email: andrew@vbprojects.ca

Andrew strives to exceed expectations that uphold his reputation for reliability and quality work.

Andrew has a strong background in Emergency Management, Emergency Operations and Resourcing and Site Safety.
Andrew holds various Vancouver Island Construction Association (VICA) Certifications and
PMI-CP Certifications.

Andrew is an accomplished Project Coordinator in both construction and emergency preparedness projects.

Andrew is happy to now be working on various Emergency Response initiatives on our lands.

Marine Emergency Coordinator

Coming Soon...

Registered Forester

Margaret Symon, Registered Professional Forester
Phone: 250-715-6983
Email: strathcona.fc@shaw.ca

Margaret has developed Community Wildfire Plans for over 30 years for jurisdictions on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, led Wildfire Mitigation Treatment Projects, and done FireSmart Program Coordination for Cowichan, North Saanich, and Ts’uubaa-asatx First Nations.

She has acted as the FireSmart Coordinator for the Town of Lake Cowichan, and Ts’uubaa-asatx First Nation.

She has also been the Local FireSmart Representative (LFR) since 2017, advising through FNESS to Cowichan Tribes, Ts’uubaa-asatx,
Homalko, and Stz’uminus First Nations.

Margaret is happy to now be helping to identify and seek funding for wildfire mitigation risks on our lands.

Community FireSmart Resiliency Program

Snuneymuxw First Nation FireSmart information video, click on the link below to learn more!

FireSmart Program & CWRP

FireSmart is a program developed with the BC government for living with and managing for fire on our landscapes and around our communities, to build our lands into wildfire resilient communities that protect life and property from wildfire.

A Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) is now in place to provide a comprehensive approach toward wildfire, including risk reduction and resiliency measures within our Nation lands.

Key goals are to:

increase our community's capacity and understanding of wildfire risk
foster greater collaboration
be more responsive to the needs of our community in terms of size, capacity, and the threats we face
develop achievable and accountable action items

Click here to find out more!

FireSmart Projects

These are some of the FireSmart Projects that the Nation is working on:

FireSmart BC activities include funding a FireSmart Coordinator, and community education.
FireSmart Canada activities:
1. FireSmart - treatment of fuels and other combustible hazards adjacent to, and within 100 m of the community Longhouse, Kitchen and Snuneymuxw Hulit Lelum.
2. Cultural & Prescribed burning - identify cultural burn areas, develop prescriptions and burn plans and remediate high risk areas.
3. Operational fuel Mgmt - designed to fund new operational fuel management in the new Te'tuxtun lands to clean up invasive brush and mitigate any wildfire threat risks.

FireSmart Resiliency Committee

The Community FireSmart Resiliency Committee (CFRC) will bring our Nation and partners together under a common vision.

The purpose of the CFRC is to strengthen collaboration with our key members that include several Nation representatives and volunteers, Nation Leadership, the local Regional District municipality and fire departments, BC Parks, and BC Wildfire Services.

COMMUNICATION POSTS PLACEHOLDER

Preparation

Know the Hazards

Knowing which hazards you need to plan for is the first step to getting prepared.

Use this hazard map to see what could occur near you.

Build an Emergency Kit

Following a disaster, you may need to:

Stay at home with an emergency kit or
Leave immediately with a grab-and-go bag

Here are some tips on how to prepare cost-effective emergency kits.

Make Your Plan

An emergency plan says how you and your household will respond to a disaster. Knowing what to do will reduce anxiety and help keep you focused and safe.

Complete the fill-in-the-blanks emergency plan. It records important information you'll need to stay safe. It will also help you find out how to contact others if you get separated.

Flood Preparedness Guide

This guide will help you prepare your household, protect your property and know what to do if a flood occurs.

Extreme Heat Preparedness Guide

This guide will help you prepare your household and know what to do if an Extreme Heat Emergency occurs.

Earthquake and Tsunami Guide

A must-read for anyone on B.C.’s coast, where earthquakes and tsunamis are a real risk. This guide explains what to do before, during and after these events.

Household Preparedness Guide

Learn how to identify hazards, make an emergency plan, and build an emergency kit.

Click here to see the complete list of prepared BC emergency guides and resources.

Response

Municipality Fire Departments

Snuneymuxw First Nation has agreements in place with the Regional District of Nanaimo and the North Cedar Fire Departments to provide response and rescue services to our residents.

Please call 911 in an emergency.

BC Parks

BC Parks actively manages protected areas to conserve natural and cultural values found within our diverse system.

The objectives of their conservation programs are to:

Mitigate and adapt to climate change;
Maintain and restore; ecosystems
Protect and recover biodiversity;
Know what we are protecting;
Create connections -
BC Parks is committed to working with First Nations, and other government and community partners to achieve shared goals, leverage each others’ resources to deliver conservation projects, and create community connections through education, experiences, and outreach.

Click here for more information.

BC Wildfire Services

We’re in this together. Wildfire prevention can happen at home.

Click here to find out what fire bans and restrictions are in effect in your area, what they mean, and why they are important for mitigating wildfire risk in British Columbia.

Click here for the B.C. Wildfire Dashboard

Click here for more information.

Recovery

Emergency Support Supplies

An Emergency Support Supplies container is a storage unit designed to hold essential items needed during emergencies. These containers will be used to provide immediate assistance in disaster situations, ensuring that necessary supplies are readily available to our members.

These containers are strategically placed within our community where quick access to emergency supplies might be needed. Some items that may be stored in these Emergency Supplies Containers are food and water, medical supplies, blankets, flashlights and hygiene items.

Emergency Operations Centres

An Emergency Operations Center (EOC) container is a storage unit equipped with essential supplies and equipment to support emergency response operations. These containers are strategically placed within our community where, in case of an emergency, immediate coordination and support can be coordinated through trained community members from these EOCs.

Some items that may be stored in these EOC containers are communication equipment, power sources, medical supplies, food and water, personal protective equipment (PPE), maps and other supplies.

Emergency Relief Funding

In partnership with First Nations communities, provincial and territorial governments and non-government organizations, Indigenous Services Canada's Emergency Management Assistance Program (EMAP) helps communities on reserve access emergency assistance services.

EMAP provides funding to First Nations communities so they can build resiliency, prepare for natural hazards and respond to them.

Click here to find out more.

Disaster recovery resources

In the event of an emergency, Snuneymuxw First Nation may be able to support you in your recovery. When there is an emergency we will be proactive in sharing event-specific resources and information here.

I am a Youth

Learn how you can get involved and count your experience towards high school or college credits.

Click Here

I am a community member

Learn what you can do to help and how your involvement can make a difference.