SMITHERS, B.C. – Communities in the Bulkley Valley are receiving a significant boost to their emergency response capabilities, with the B.C. government investing nearly $7 million in new projects for Smithers, Witset, and Saik’uz First Nation.
The funding, announced late last week, is aimed at enhancing local Emergency Operations Centres (EOCs) to better manage climate-related disasters such as wildfires and floods.
The investment will allow Witset to install essential equipment, including radios and a backup generator, and provide specialized training for emergency staff. This will improve the community’s ability to coordinate with regional partners like the Town of Smithers during a crisis.
Further east, Saik’uz First Nation will use its share of the funding to purchase a mobile office trailer. This will serve as a mobile EOC, ensuring seamless coordination and service delivery for community members during an evacuation.
The provincial government stated the investment supports broader regional efforts to improve emergency preparedness across the Bulkley Valley, ensuring all communities are more resilient to future disasters.
The money comes from the Community Emergency Preparedness Fund, a provincial program that has supported over 2,500 local projects across B.C. since 2017 to help communities withstand the growing threats posed by climate change.
