There are any number of disasters, such as flooding and fire, that can affect the operation of a small business. The City of Kimberley and the Chamber of Commerce have collaborated on a new resource for tourism and other businesses to help them prepared for emergencies.
A Emergency Preparedness for Tourism Operators and Training video walks business owners through steps to take in the event of an emergency. It also outlines actions they can take prior to any emergency to help them be better prepared to reposed to an emergency.
The most recent emergency situation in Kimberley was the 2018 evacuation alert in Kimberley due to forest fires.
The video, narrated by Fire Chief Rick Prasad and Assistant Chief Chad Koran, focuses on what business owners can do if the community is threatened by fire.
“We know that now is not the time our business community is thinking about emergencies, particularly wildfire,” said Fire Chief Rick Prasad. “But now is the exact time they should be preparing and practicing the actions they will need to take if Kimberley is threatened by wildfire. The video provides a quick snapshot of those steps. Other resources developed by PrepareBC can help them put their plans to paper. Check out our website for these resources to get prepared.”
The advice given is fairly common sense. Keep your vehicles based up; discuss exactly what your insurance covers with your agent; have an evacuation plan ready; take pictures of your business to help in the event you have to file a claim; know your community’s emergency response plan. Specific to accommodation businesses, the video stresses that in the event of an evacuation alert, businesses are responsible for knowing the whereabouts of their guests and making sure they are aware of the evacuation status.
A link to the Emergency Preparedness Video and all other resources are available on the City of Kimberley website at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcwUubxtQn0
“I am proud of the City of Kimberley and the Kimberley District of Chamber of Commerce for developing this video and guiding tools that will encourage and assist local tourism businesses to create emergency preparedness plans,” said Lisa Beare, Minister of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport. “Projects like these funded through the Provincial Resort Municipality Initiative fund demonstrate how government, communities, and business can work together to protect the health and safety of all British Columbians and visitors.”
The video was funded by the Provincial Resort Municipality Initiative, which is managed by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport.
carolyn.grant@kimberleybulletin.com
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