LIAISON Newsletter Volume 1, Number 3

PSEPC Sponsors Master Exercise Practitioner Program

The Government of Canada is offering emergency exercise managers, planners and designers the opportunity to earn a Master Exercise Practitioner (MEP) certificate.

The MEP program is conducted by the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), on behalf of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada (PSEPC). It was first offered in Canada in 2005, in the Spring and the Fall. After the Spring session, the course was modified to better reflect the Canadian environment

The program is held over a two-week period, and it is designed for individuals who are responsible for emergency management within their organization, who write emergency plans or who develop exercises regularly.

Students are trained on all aspects of exercise design, conduct (simulation and control) and evaluation. They follow the same approach and use the same methodologies and documentation as do their FEMA counterparts.

The course tuition fee is sponsored by PSEPC's National Exercises Division (NED).

"Having MEP-trained personnel benefits all federal government departments and agencies," said Jennifer Franssen, a NED manager.

"The result is a common understanding of the exercise process within the Government of Canada, support for the National Security Policy, a sharing of expertise and access to subject matter experts from exercise/emergency planning divisions within other government departments."

To date, 77 Canadians have taken the MEP program, including four NEPRD staff members.

The next course is scheduled for the Spring, 2006.

For more information, please contact Jennifer Franssen, at jennifer.franssen@psepc-sppcc.gc.ca

CRTI RN Cluster Field Team Exercise

A large scale field team exercise, employing federal and provincial responders, will be held in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island, March 28 – 30, 2006.

Participating in this exercise will be the CBRN

Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI) radiological nuclear cluster, the CRTI forensic cluster, as well as New Brunswick's Emergency Measures Organization.

For more information, please contact Helen M. Griffiths, Head, Coordination and Operations Preparedness Section, Nuclear Emergency Preparedness and Response Division (NERPD). Helen can be reached at helen_m_griffiths@hc-sc.gc.ca

Fun with Jumbles

1. eiaatmsinurl ecodx (2 words)
2. taacimnoinnot
3. arornaidiIt
4. iocniatifnto

All terms can be found in our glossary: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ed-ud/event-incident/ radiolog/info/glossary-glossaire_e.html