Emergency Program

Prevention – this means taking action to avoid an incident.  Get to know the risks and hazards of your neighbourhood and community and plan to reduce the risk to you, your home, and your neighbourhood.

Mitigation – refers to measures that can prevent or reduce an emergency from happening or reduce the damaging effects of unavoidable emergencies. The purpose of this phase is to protect lives, property, and the environment.  To reduce economic and social disruption and improve response capabilities. Mitigation covers structural measures such as construction and maintenance of floodways and dikes; earthquake retrofitting; and includes building codes and land-use planning.

Preparedness – refers to activities that increase a community’s ability to respond when a disaster occurs.  Plans are created to support the continuity of Emergency Services and critical infrastructure.  Individuals, families, and neighbourhoods are encouraged to implement measures to prepare for and scope the immediate impact of a disaster. For the City of Abbotsford, preparedness includes ongoing training, mock exercises, and public education.

Response – refers to the actions carried out immediately before, during, and immediately after a disaster that is aimed to limit the loss of life, minimize suffering and reduce personal injury and property damage associated with disaster.  Response for the City may include Emergency information to the public, fire-fighting, search and rescue, emergency medical assistance, Emergency Support services, evacuation, site support, and agency coordination. 

Recovery – refers to actions taken to return a community to normal or near-normal conditions including the restoration of basic services and the repair of physical, social, and economic damages. This phase consists of several stages and works toward disaster risk reduction to minimize future damage to the community.

• Abbotsford Emergency Radio Communications Service - Radio Amateurs of Canada
• Abbotsford Police Department
• Abbotsford School District #34
• BC Emergency Support Services
• BC Hydro
• BC SPCA
• British Columbia Ambulance Service
• Canadian Red Cross - BC Lower Mainland
• Central Fraser Valley Search and Rescue Society
• Emergency Management and Climate Resiliency (EMCR)Program
• Fraser Health
• Fortis BC
• Public Safety Canada
• St. John Ambulance
• The Salvation Army British Columbia Division