Fire Preparedness and Emergency Response

A forest fire fighter overlooking the damage in a burned area.

Asset ManagementEnergy & Climate

Online Learning Event

Free
Free for members

Start: Jul 23, 2026

Start: 10:00 am
End: 11:30 am

Online (Zoom)

Jun 2 – Jul 23, 2026

Program Description

An Overview

Welcome to the third session in the BC Non-Profit Housing Climate & Disaster Resilience Webinar Series! Join us monthly May through October for sessions with sector leaders and relevant conversations on how the non-profit housing sector can navigate and respond to various topics in Climate and Disaster response.

This webinar addresses wildfire and smoke preparedness with a focus on emergency planning and resident safety. Attendees will go over the DCRRA Wildfire Hazard Story Map, learn about fire-preparedness and response from BC Housing’s Fire Safety Advisor which will include a discussion on the role of regional districts and how housing providers can connect with them directly. The session will complete with sharing of community experience and lessons learned from non-profit housing providers who have had to actively evacuate their buildings and residents for previous emergencies.

What Will You Learn?

  • Understand fire and smoke risks
  • Learn emergency response planning best practices
  • Identify tools to support resident safety

Event Facilitated By

Jessica Fell

Senior Strategic Advisor, Sustainability and Resilience, BC Housing

Jessica Fell is a Senior Strategic Advisor for Sustainability and Resilience at BC Housing, where she leads the sustainability strategy update and advances portfolio-level climate risk. Her work focuses on integrating climate risk and resilience into core business decisions across strategy, operations, and risk management. She brings cross-sector experience across private and public sectors, including water stewardship, and holds a PhD in strategic decision analysis for Nature-Based Solutions.

Dave Aharonian

BC Ministry of Energy and Climate Solutions

Dave has been working with the Province on Climate Action since 2011. He has a background in climate adaptation, resilience, risk assessment and energy efficiency in buildings. Currently he works to support communities through the BC Local Government Climate Action Program.

Craig Smith

Fire Safety Advisor, BC Housing

Craig joins us with 28 years of fire service experience spanning fire prevention, inspections, emergency response and fire investigations. Craig also served as an Emergency Program Coordinator in a rural municipality, giving him a broad perspective on emergency management and community preparedness. He is dedicated to practical fire safety solutions, organizational readiness and fostering collaboration with partners across British Columbia.

Rosanna McGregor

Executive Director, Cariboo Friendship Society

Rosanna is the Executive Director of Cariboo Friendship Society where she has worked for the past 36 years. She is the Vice President of the BC Association of Friendship Centers which is dedicated to advocacy in education, health, employment, justice, and social housing, while supporting cultural connections. She is the Chair of the Natsumat Lelum committee to the Board of Aboriginal Housing Management Association and the chair for Williams Lake Social Housing Society. She has been involved in housing development since 1996 and has been a part of a lot of transformation in the industry over the years.

Since the idea that Y2K was going to cause catastrophic failures with computers and systems the Cariboo Friendship Society has been involved in Emergency Management planning to ensure that the vulnerable populations that they work with will be cared for in an emergency. Yearly reviews of disaster scenario’s helps to prepare for an event and 2017 evacuation was the real thing with the City of Williams Lake being evacuated. Rosanna was out of her home for 21 days and was fortunate to be involved in daily EOC calls to prepare for return to hometown.