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Home   Newsroom 2005 News releases (archive) 2005-05-06: Urban search and rescue training centre
Calgary, May 6, 2005 -- Senator Grant Mitchell, on behalf of the Honourable Anne McLellan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, today participated in the grand opening of the Multi-Agency Training Centre, Calgary’s urban search and rescue (USAR) mobilization and training facility. The Government of Canada’s contribution of nearly $1 million towards this facility was made possible through the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP). An additional JEPP project will see about $700,000 contributed for interior equipment and training aids. “Emergency preparedness, and the safety and security of Canadians, remain high priorities for the Government of Canada,” said Senator Grant Mitchell. “The grand opening of this centre marks significant progress achieved through work with provincial and municipal partners on all aspects of the Canadian USAR Program.” “Maintaining emergency response capabilities that meet the needs of all citizens depends on partnerships between government, municipalities, and other stakeholders,” said Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Renner. “This facility is a testament to how effective partnerships enhance the search and rescue community’s ability to respond to emergencies locally, nationally and globally.” “The opening of this training centre is a clear indication that governments at all levels are working to safeguard the lives of our citizens,” said Calgary Deputy Mayor Craig Burrows. “The City of Calgary is privileged to be the home of this new centre, as well as the home-base of Canada Task Force 2. They are an extraordinary team of emergency responders, and we are proud of the work they do everyday to protect Calgarians, Albertans and our fellow Canadians.” Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada continues to build upon the 2001 Federal Budget commitment of $20 million, over six-years (2001-02 to 2006-07), to develop a national USAR capacity. USAR is an advanced first responder capacity used to carry out complex and demanding rescue operations within collapsed structures and related technical victim extrication tasks on an all-hazards basis. Contemporary USAR teams incorporate related detection and monitoring instruments and comprehensive protective gear to ensure both team safety and an effective emergency response capability. In addition to Calgary’s team, four other Canadian cities, and the Province of Manitoba currently have -- or are in the process of developing -- a USAR capacity to deploy anywhere in Canada. The cities are: Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal and Halifax. The grand opening of the Multi-Agency Training Centre is taking place as part of Emergency Preparedness (EP) Week. The commemorative week runs from May 1-7, 2005, and is an important time to reflect on the safety and security of citizens. This year’s theme is ‘Prepare Now! Learn How!’ which focuses on the importance of families developing, reviewing and practicing their emergency plans. Emergency preparedness is everyone’s responsibility and it’s the best way to reduce the potential effects of an emergency on you and your loved ones. See also:
For more information: Mike Kluttig
Senior Regional Communications Advisor
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
(780) 495-3006 Media Relations
Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada
(613) 991-0657 Jay O’Neill
Director, Communications
Alberta Municipal Affairs
(780) 422-8817 John Conley
Public Information Officer
Calgary Fire Department
(403) 287-4257
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