Canadians can plan better to respond and recover from weather-related emergencies

OTTAWA, Dec. 22, 2014 /CNW/ - Lessons in emergency response and recovery learned in the wake of Hurricane Sandy can be very relevant to Canadians facing weather-related emergencies according to The Centre for National Security's new report, A Hurricane of Innovation: Response and Recovery Lessons from Hurricane Sandy.

"Canada continues to face a range of emergencies, and weather-related events have had a significant impact," said Dr. Satyamoorthy Kabilan, Director, National Security and Strategic Foresight. "It is essential that we learn the lessons from previous incidents so that we can be more resilient to the emergencies of the future."

A Hurricane of Innovation: Response and Recovery Lessons from Hurricane Sandy highlights important lessons in disaster preparedness planning, community recovery, and the creative development of solutions in support of survivors.

The key insights gained around leadership, coordination, relationships, planning and investment in critical infrastructure are applicable to almost any Canadian weather-related emergency. The report offers the following key lessons learned in the aftermath of hurricane Sandy:

• Ensure clarity of leadership – The recovery efforts of Hurricane Sandy pointed to the value of community-led recovery efforts and the need to entrust community leaders with the responsibility to actively support community initiatives.
• Tap the potential of volunteers - Volunteer organizations active in disasters (VOADs) and spontaneous volunteers possess a range of important skills that can be utilized when delivering critical services in the recovery from large-scale events.
• Build and enable networks - Connecting the whole community, particularly the formal (government, public sector organizations, and traditional volunteer organizations) with the informal (citizen groups, corporate community support initiatives, and volunteer groups) in order to coordinate recovery efforts effectively.
• Anticipate potential challenges - Ensuring things like access to the necessary equipment to help restore critical infrastructure will facilitate a quicker response.

Dr. Kabilan is available to speak to media about emergency preparedness, response and recovery related to recent Canadian weather-related events as well and notable natural disasters abroad.

This publication is available at www.e-library.ca

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SOURCE: Conference Board of Canada