Snuneymuxw First Nation
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Emergency Response Information

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

  1. Mitigation
  2. Preparation
  3. Response
  4. Recovery
 

Mitigation

Community FireSmart Resiliency Program

Snuneymuxw First Nation Presents...your FireSmart information video, click on the link below to learn more!
Meet Your FireSmart Coordinator

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 developing the CWRP and acting as the interim FireSmart Coordination on our lands.

FireSmart Program

FireSmart is a program developed with the BC government for living with and managing for fire on our landscapes and around our communities.

FireSmart provides funding to foster our shared responsibility at all levels from provincial to local government and individual community members, to build our lands into wildfire resilient communities that protect life and property from wildfire.

Click here to find out more!

FireSmart Projects

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

  1. FireSmart BC activities including funding a FireSmart Coordinator, creating a CWRP and community education.
  2. 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 areas with moderate to extreme wildfire threat risk.
CWRP

Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan

A Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan (CWRP) will be developed to provide a comprehensive approach toward wildfire, including risk reduction and resiliency measures within our Nation lands.

Key goals of the Community Wildfire Resiliency Planning process 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
FireSmart Building Assessments

Several Nation buildings will be assessed for FireSmart resiliency and mitigation:

  1. Administration Building
  2. Rec Centre
  3. Snuneymuxw Hulit Lelum
  4. Traditional Longhouse
  5. Community Kitchen
  6. Transitional Housing building
  7. Qwam Qwum Stuwixwulh School
  8. And several other buildings.
FireSmart Resiliency Committee

The Community FireSmart Resiliency Committee (CFRC) will be developed within our Nation to bring 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, BC Wildfire Services and the SFN affiliated Petroglyph Development Group.

Contact Margaret, FireSmart Coordinator, and get involved with Community FireSmart Resiliency Committee

Click Here

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

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. Stay tuned.

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.

Click Here

Snuneymuxw First Nation is one of the largest Nations in B.C. with a population of approximately 2,000 people. We are one of the few Nations that have a pre-Confederation treaty with the Crown – the Sarlequun Snuneymuxw Treaty of 1854.

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Snuneymuxw

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Hours

  • Monday - Friday: (Except Holidays)
  • 8:00AM - 4:00PM
  • Closed for Lunch 12:00PM - 1:00PM

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