The Saanich Peninsula volunteer group that offers residents a sense of safety in the face of an emergency is better prepared to aid the region’s smaller islands after a May 24 training session.
The Peninsula Emergency Measures Organization (PEMO) – overseen and administered collectively by Sidney, North Saanich and Central Saanich – is made up of four teams.
Two of those teams, Emergency Support Services and Search and Rescue, took part in a simulated evacuation exercise in collaboration with the Piers Island community.
In the event of an emergency PEMO volunteers provide critical services like food, lodging, clothing, emotional support, information and family reunification.
ESS deployed its mobile reception centre trailer to the Shoal Centre, where they successfully registered 18 evacuees during the drill. The exercise provided valuable hands-on training and coordination experience for all participants, the agency said on social media.
“It was a highly successful operation that strengthened the team’s preparedness and response capabilities for real-life emergencies,” the post reads.
Learn more about PEMO, its teams and preparedness in general online at pemo.ca.
