The Regional Municipality of Durham Printer Friendly Version

News Release

Second emergency exercise with local municipalities successful

WHITBY, ON  October 31, 2008 -- The Durham Emergency Management Office and four local area municipalities - the cities of Pickering and Oshawa, the Municipality of Clarington and the Township of Scugog - co-ordinated a multi-jurisdictional emergency exercise this morning.

The aim of the exercise was to provide the opportunity for staff in each of the Municipal Emergency Operations Centres (MEOC) to practise communication co-ordination, decision making, control and inter-agency co-operation within a defined emergency management system. Exercise activities were designed to meet provincial emergency management standards.

Each MEOC assessed the simulated emergency situation, identified requirements and developed emergency response action plans in co-ordination with the Regional Emergency Operations Centre.

"These exercises are an essential part of our emergency management program and I am very pleased that today's activities were as successful as last week's," said Ivan Ciuciura, Director of Emergency Management. "Participants processed information, made decisions and effectively communicated in order to manage the simulated emergency event."

Durham Region and its local area municipalities, work co-operatively to conduct exercises on a regular basis as part of their ongoing emergency management programs. To learn more about emergency management, exercises and training, visit the Region's website at www.durham.ca/demo.

Media Inquiries:
REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF DURHAM:
Ivan Ciuciura - Director of Emergency Management, 905-430-2792
Denise Murray - Corporate Communications Officer, 905-668-7711 ext. 3813