For Immediate Release
June 14, 2006
The Emergency Planning and Advisory Committee (EPAC) hosted a multi-agency exercise today at North Central Fire Station. Representatives from federal, provincial, city, regional and American organizations worked on a scenario that involved a response to a potential pandemic outbreak in Thunder Bay.
HMCS Griffon initiated and developed the scenario. The purpose of the exercise was to get to know the various agencies that might be involved in such a situation. This expanded the list of stakeholders to include agencies not normally sitting at the local EPAC table.
“I was impressed with the level of conversation and information sharing that came out of group discussions,” says Ken Allan, Director of Health Protection and Clinical Services at the Thunder Bay District Health Unit. “The exercise allowed us to have frank discussion about what roles each agency would play and helped us become aware of issues around jurisdiction and protocol.“
Each organization will be able to strengthen their own emergency response plans after the exercise. EPAC will use the information to fill in gaps that were identified in community plans and will be using feedback from the day to plan for future exercises.
EPAC exists to identify training and planning needs for emergency situations in the city and region.
Participants in the exercise came from as far away as Quebec, Ottawa, and the U.S.A., and as close as Northwestern Ontario, and the city of Thunder Bay. The following agencies were represented: Airport Security, Canada Coast Guard, Canada Customs, City of Thunder Bay, Department of National Defense- HMCS Griffin, Department of National Defense- Thunder Bay Garrison, DILICO, Emergency Management Ontario, EMS, Fort William First Nation, front line clinical services, Grand Marais Public Health, Lakehead District School Board, Lakehead University Ethics Dept, Minnesota Department of Health, OPP, RCMP, St. Josephs Care Group, Thunder Bay District Health Unit, a Thunder Bay Fire and Rescue Service, Thunder Bay Police, and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre.
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