With wildfires affecting communities across British Columbia, many residents are understandably concerned about how prepared Creston is in the event of an emergency. The Town of Creston wants to reassure residents that significant investments have been made in emergency preparedness, planning, training, and community resilience.
The Town maintains a comprehensive Emergency Management Program led by a full-time Emergency Management Coordinator and supported by a trained Emergency Response Team. Together, they are prepared to activate the Town's Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) when required.
An Emergency Operations Centre serves as a central command hub during emergencies such as wildfires, floods, severe weather events, and other incidents. The EOC coordinates emergency response efforts, manages information, supports first responders, communicates with the public, and assists with recovery planning.
Most recently, during the water main break in early August, the Emergency Response Team played a key role in coordinating response efforts, supporting public communications, and assisting with recovery planning.
"Our community is in excellent hands," said Asha Delisle, Emergency Management Coordinator for the Town of Creston. "I have the privilege of working alongside a team of highly knowledgeable professionals who are not only fully trained and equipped to respond to emergencies, but who also genuinely care about the community we live and play in."
Town staff regularly participate in emergency preparedness exercises and ongoing education to ensure they are ready to respond effectively when emergencies occur.
Comprehensive Planning and Community Resilience
The Town maintains a detailed Disaster Response Plan that outlines how the organization prepares for, responds to, and recovers from emergencies. The plan provides clear direction on roles and responsibilities, communication procedures, resource coordination, and decision-making processes during an emergency.
In addition, the Town's Evacuation Plan supports coordinated, timely, and effective decision-making when evacuations may be required. Residents are encouraged to familiarize themselves with evacuation procedures before an emergency occurs.
The Town is also an active participant in the FireSmart™ program and has a dedicated FireSmart Coordinator who helps residents take practical steps to reduce wildfire risk around their homes and properties. FireSmart practices have been proven to reduce the potential for damage and loss, even during extreme wildfire conditions.
Further strengthening community preparedness is the Town's Community Wildfire Resiliency Plan, which focuses on proactive risk reduction. The plan includes 46 recommended actions designed to help Creston become more resilient to the impacts of wildfire, many of which are already being implemented by Town staff.
Stay Informed with Voyent Alert!
One of the most important actions residents can take during wildfire season is to stay informed.
The Town encourages residents to download Voyent Alert!, a free mobile app that provides location-based emergency notifications directly to users' phones. During emergencies, the app can deliver timely information regarding evacuation alerts, evacuation orders, road closures, and other urgent updates affecting specific areas.
Emergency preparedness is a shared responsibility. While emergencies cannot always be prevented, proactive planning, community partnerships, and informed residents help ensure Creston is ready to respond when they occur.
For emergency preparedness information, evacuation resources, and wildfire resiliency tools, visit em.creston.ca.