Emergency Management Training Program

Emergency Management training is one of the key factors for a successful response. As such, Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC) oversees a provincial training program that develops, coordinates and presents various emergency management courses and educational opportunities throughout the province. 

The primary objective of the training program is to build the knowledge and skillsets of provincial and local government emergency management staff who function in operational roles during emergencies. The training program also aims to increase the understanding of roles and responsibilities of government and non-government agencies in an escalating emergency situation

EMBC Sponsored Regional Emergency Management Courses

EMBC sponsored emergency management training courses are offered throughout the province to support the training requirements of local government. The primary target audience for this training is local government staff and Public Safety Lifeline Volunteers (PSVL) who function in emergency management operational roles during emergencies. If additional seats are available, priority is extended to provincial Temporary Emergency Assignment Management System (TEAMS) personnel that are deployed during activations, Provincial Regional Emergency Operations Centres (PREOC), and the Provincial Emergency Coordination Centre (PECC) staff.

The courses are coordinated through the EMBC regional offices and hosted by local communities, course delivery is provided through the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC).

Attending a Course

Local governments are encouraged to open their courses to the neighboring community’s staff and volunteers to attend. This supports networking and ensuring courses are filled. The maximum for each course is 24 seats. Courses may be cancelled if minimum seats (15) are not filled, however in some circumstances exceptions can be made.

To register for a course please fill out the below form, ensure it is signed and that prerequisites are met. It is the responsibility of the course participant to ensure they have checked they have the prerequisites. Registration forms are to be submitted to your EMBC Regional Office for approval. If your registration has been approved but you are unable to attend please let the Regional Office know as soon as possible to allow someone on the waiting list to attend in your place.    

Travel Expense

Travel costs for students attending the course are the responsibility of either the Local Authority/First Nation they work for or the student.

Prerequisites

JIBC is an accredited post-secondary education institute and any prerequisites for the courses can only be waived at JIBC’S discretion. We recommend that any participant ensure they take the prerequisites for courses to ensure learning is optimized for themselves and others in the room.

Applying for a Course

Every year in fall local governments are able to submit their training requests for the next fiscal year (April to April). EMBC Regional Offices send out notices to all local governments, and once applications are received, EMBC Regional Offices consolidate the applications and submit a limited number of courses for scheduling. 

Local governments who do not have their submissions approved are encouraged to apply again the following year. EMBC Regional Offices do their best to ensure the allocation of courses is fair and equitable; decisions based on the overall regional needs as well as balancing the individual community’s needs. For maximum benefit of EMBC sponsored courses a regional approach is encouraged; this can be achieved if local governments coordinate the courses they apply for.

Approval of Courses

Regional Mangers will review and approve applications. Applications are reviewed on the bases of previous year’s application status (approved or denied), regional training cooperation within the region and meeting community’s needs. Once an application has been approved it is submitted for scheduling to the JIBC. On April1st, the full list of courses is published on this website. Notices of approved applications are sent out to the local governments.

Emergencies can occur at any time, and as such courses may be postponed or cancelled due to the nature of our work. Please check back regularly to view any changes to the course offerings or dates.

Host Community Responsibilities and Travel Costs

The expectation of the host community is that they provide the following at their own cost:

  • Suitable training room with groups of tables for 4-6
  • LCD projector, screen and extension cord
  • TV and VCR/DVD player
  • Flipchart stands (2-4 ideal) with paper
  • Chairs and tables set up in pods of 4-5 students
  • Front table for the instructor and projector
  • Access to the training room 30 minutes before delivery.

Canceling/Changes to Courses

Due to low attendance numbers, activation for a response or many other reasons courses can be changed or canceled. JIBC will try and accommodate changes however if the change cannot be accommodated then the course may be canceled. Canceled courses may not be rescheduled within the same community if there is a waitlist of other communities within the region.

Please contact your Regional Office to discuss your options if you are considering changing or cancelling a course.

Emergency Management Webinar Series

The webinar series provides participants with up-to-date information on emergency management best practices, approaches, strategies and technologies. The sessions are designed for emergency management practitioners though applicable to anyone with an interest in enhancing their emergency management knowledge. The webinars are presented in partnership with the Justice Institute of BC.