Perth County calls on feds to reverse proposed funding cuts to emergency preparedness programs

Perth County has sent a letter to its federal MP calling on the federal government to reverse a plan to cut $35.8 million in funding to Public Safety Canada over three years for emergency preparedness initiatives.
“Recent events clearly indicate how important emergency management is,” the Dec. 16, 2010 letter to MP Gary Schellenberger. “With Hurricane Igor creating havoc in Newfoundland, flooding in B.C. stranding many communities and an apartment fire in Toronto leaving 1,700 people homeless, domestic emergency management programs should be a priority for the federal government.”
The Perth Council said it would launch an appeal to all Ontario municipalities to halt proposed funding cuts to the Joint Emergency Preparedness Program (JEPP) and the possible closure of the Canadian Emergency Management College (CEMC).
CEMC is a national institution providing training in emergency site management and emergency operations centre management to emergency response and management officials.