Overview of EMO
History
The Manitoba Emergency Management Organization was established in 1959 with the original purpose of developing emergency procedures for dealing with events related to nuclear attack. Over the years, as the threat of nuclear war diminished and the risk of both natural and human-caused disasters increased, the emphasis shifted towards peacetime emergencies. In the fall of 1996, the organization was amalgamated with the Manitoba Disaster Assistance Board to form the Manitoba Emergency Management Organization, broadening its scope to all phases of disaster management - from preparedness and response to recovery and mitigation. In 2001, the organization was renamed the Emergency Measures Organization.
Responsibilities
EMO draws its mandate from The Emergency Measures Act which requires that EMO oversee all aspects of preparedness in the province as well as manage, direct and coordinate the response of all departments to a disaster.
Preparedness
EMO leads the numerous provincial programs and policies aimed at improving provincial preparedness for major emergencies and disasters.
The Manitoba Emergency Plan
EMO is responsible for maintaining the Manitoba Emergency Plan. The Plan is the linchpin in the Province's capacity to provide a coordinated and effective response to emergencies and disasters. It explains the provincial emergency response concept, emergency response structure, and the roles and responsibilities of provincial departments and agencies responding to emergencies and disasters.
Training and Education
EMO provides emergency management Training in the form of courses, workshops and exercises local and provincial government officials, emergency response personnel, public interest groups and non-government representatives who could be tasked with principal emergency management responsibility in the event of an emergency or disaster.
EMO is a key sponsor of the organizing committee for the Disaster Management Conference.
Public Information
EMO maintains a library of public Information brochures and web pages to assist the general public in understanding how to prepare, respond and recover from a disaster or major emergency.
Response
EMO assists with major emergencies and disasters through leadership and coordination of the provincial response to a disaster or major emergency. Response activities including the coordination of provincial, federal and non-government agency resources to assist municipalities as well as when required directing provincial activities under a state of emergency. EMO maintains a 24/7 Duty Officer system that provides the initial trigger for any after hours response.
Manitoba Emergency Coordination Centre
EMO is responsible to establish, maintain and operate the Manitoba Emergency Coordination Centre. The coordination center is staffed as appropriate to the emergency and has leading edge emergency operations software, digital mapping and redundant communications. In addition to the static MECC in Winnipeg, EMO maintains a deployable MECC that can be dispatched closer to the site of the emergency.
Emergency Alerting
EMO is the provincial aggregator for the National Public Alerting System. EMO has the capability to provide broadcast interrupted emergency messages through radio and television where and when required.
Recovery
EMO is responsible to conceive, develop and coordinate a range of recovery programs and policy. EMO provides leadership in developing holistic recovery strategies for implementation in the wake of a major disaster. As such EMO has strong connections to non-governmental organizations who contribute to the overall recovery strategy.
Disaster Financial Assistance
The purpose of the Disaster Financial Assistance program is to allow victims, municipalities, government departments, and other agencies to recoup some of the costs incurred in responding to and recovering from a disaster or major emergency.
