Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness (CCEP) "passes the torch"

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2013 /CNW/ - After 20 years as Canada's leading advocate for disaster resilience, the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness (CCEP) is "passing the torch" to a new champion of emergency management and public safety.  Effective January 31, 2013, CCEP will cease operations and award its assets to the Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute (EMPSI) of Centennial College, Toronto, Ontario.

"CCEP has done what it set out to do," said Sean Tracey, Chair of the CCEP Board of Directors, "and now it's time to hand over the benefits of our collective knowledge, expertise and experiences to an organization that will not only uphold CCEP's heritage and mandate, but also build on our accomplishments for a safer and more resilient Canada."

CCEP began the search for the beneficiary of its assets in October 2012 by sending out a call for proposals from a broad range of emergency management and public safety contacts.  Through an extensive and comprehensive process, the CCEP Legacy Working Group studied the applications and scored the submissions based on the applicant's commitment, plans and capacity to use CCEP'S identified assets to maintain a dynamic legacy for the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness.

"In submitting their proposal it was evident that the EMPSI principals were sincerely prepared to not only recognize the value of the countless contributions of CCEP over its existence but to build on the legacy and to carry forward the spirit of our mission," stated Tracey.

"Among EMPSI's commitments are: to not only continue but enhance the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness Awards in conjunction with the World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM); to grow and develop the B-Ready Now (BRN) software application into multiple layers of use for students and the public; to create the Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness Scholarship Endowment Fund; and to nurture the Emergency Management Public Safety Institute into a Centre of Excellence," added Tracey.  "The CCEP Board of Directors had already identified the need to develop and promote a 'centre of excellence' therefore, we were very excited to see this as part of EMPSI's proposal."

"I can think of no better legacy for CCEP than to invest in tomorrow's leaders in emergency management and public safety in Canada," commented Tracey. "This is a home run for CCEP."

"We are excited by the opportunity to integrate CCEP's body of work and technical knowledge into our own curriculum, while ensuring CCEP's legacy endures and thrives well into the future," said EMPSI Manager Ginette Soulieres.  "EMPSI will continue to act as an advocate of CCEP by building on its body of work and sharing its beliefs with successive generations of emergency management students, professionals, and across academia, in the best interests of our communities."

Since its inception in 1993, CCEP has been at the forefront of the training and development of emergency management and public safety professionals in Canada and has increased the public's awareness of the need to be resilient.

Highlights of CCEP's accomplishments are:

• Launched the National Conference on Disaster Management in 1989 which has developed into the largest annual international conference of its kind, the World Conference on Disaster Management (WCDM).
• Established a Municipal Emergency Planning Program to assist local governments in the preparation and testing of emergency response plans.
• Delivered a training program for 9-1-1 public safety communicators in Ontario
• Assisted private sector clients with the development of business continuity plans for Y2K.
• Created and delivered emergency management training domestically and internationally, the most notably at the request of the Czech Republic after the massive devastation of the "100 Year Flood" in 2002.
• Invested heavily in emergency preparedness research and development:
• Conducted the first national survey on emergency preparedness in Canada, "Preparing for Crises: 2008", a publication which remains current in terms of its recommendations to improve the resiliency of Canadian citizens and small businesses.
• Funded the research and development of the B-Ready Now (BRN) software program, a user friendly web-based business disruption planning service for small businesses.

SOURCE: Canadian Centre for Emergency Preparedness

Sean Tracey, Chair, Board of Directors, Canadian Centre of Emergency Preparedness (CCEP)
613-830-9102 [email protected]
Editors/Reporters Note:  A CCEP Backgrounder is available upon request.

Ginette Soulieres, Manager, Emergency Management and Public Safety Institute (EMPSI)
416-289-5000 ext. 8373 [email protected]