Today a portion of Jim Ogilvie Way looked a little different than it normally does. A school bus was on its side, a city truck was damaged, and several students from Selkirk Secondary School were triaged and transported to hospital as part of a City of Kimberley emergency management exercise.

Members of the Kimberley Fire Department, city staff, and external stakeholders such as the RCMP, BC Ambulance Service, School District No. 6, Interior Health, Teck Ltd., and East Kootenay Search and Rescue, were put to the test for the duration of the exercise while students and volunteers practised their acting skills.

“The safety of our citizens is our number one priority. These mock exercises help confirm that all involved are able to work together in the event of an actual emergency,” said Rick Prasad, Fire Chief. “I’m very pleased with how we were able to coordinate with each other in a timely manner. I’d like to thank all of the agencies and organizations involved and look forward to developing guidelines from today’s activity that will support future emergencies.”

The event was a safe way for the city and other agencies to ensure they are prepared in the event of an actual emergency and that their coordinated efforts will ensure safe and successful outcomes during an actual event. All agencies will debrief with staff in the coming weeks then come together to collectively outline successes and areas of improvement.

Photo of the exercise courtesy City of Kimberley

City of Kimberley

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