In 2025 Sea Star received a grant from CRD and the Southern Gulf Islands Emergency Program to use to assist nearby Gulf Islands with training, planning and preparing. As Piers Island has a robust FireSmart program we worked with them to bring FireSmart teams from other fire departments to observe their projects and discuss first hand with the Piers team.
Event #1 – FireSmart – April 25, 2025
Working with CRD FireSmart Coordinator we organized a group of FireSmart representatives from a number of Gulf Islands as well as from the local CRD office. Sea Star arranged with the local FireSmart people to transport everyone to Piers Island for a presentation at the Piers Island Fire Hall, coffee, lunch and a tour of various Piers Island sites that had undergone treatment. The local Emergency Management team assisted with the presentation and tour and the group enjoyed a wonderful informal session sharing ideas while enjoying a picnic style luncheon.
Event #2 – Mock Evacuation – May 24, 2025
Working with the local Piers Island EP team and PIVFD, Sea Star provided transportation off and back on to Piers Island while the EP team and PIVFD ran a mock evacuation exercise with wildfire being the cause of evacuation. In a presentation on Wildfire Preparedness Day earlier in May residents were given Grab & Go bags sponsored through the grant. Velvet Warrior, the Local Emergency Management Representative, ran through the evacuation process with Islanders in attendance. SGIEP, PEMO and several other organizations were involved with the event. The feedback we received was excellent.
Event #3 – FireSmart – August 13, 2025
We had offered our first FireSmart group a second opportunity to visit the Piers Island team as only 6 had been able to make the first event, although more had been signed up. We spoke to Sidney Fire Department, noticing that they had just set up a FireSmart component to their department and offered assistance to them. We were then contacted by Rosie at CRD FireSmart with a request for another visit. Rosie had attended our first event. This was again a great opportunity for an exchange of information, and both the Piers FireSmart and Emergency Management teams were involved.
Event #1 – FireSmart – April 25, 2025
Working with CRD FireSmart Coordinator we organized a group of FireSmart representatives from a number of Gulf Islands as well as from the local CRD office. Sea Star arranged with the local FireSmart people to transport everyone to Piers Island for a presentation at the Piers Island Fire Hall, coffee, lunch and a tour of various Piers Island sites that had undergone treatment. The local Emergency Management team assisted with the presentation and tour and the group enjoyed a wonderful informal session sharing ideas while enjoying a picnic style luncheon.
Event #2 – Mock Evacuation – May 24, 2025
Working with the local Piers Island EP team and PIVFD, Sea Star provided transportation off and back on to Piers Island while the EP team and PIVFD ran a mock evacuation exercise with wildfire being the cause of evacuation. In a presentation on Wildfire Preparedness Day earlier in May residents were given Grab & Go bags sponsored through the grant. Velvet Warrior, the Local Emergency Management Representative, ran through the evacuation process with Islanders in attendance. SGIEP, PEMO and several other organizations were involved with the event. The feedback we received was excellent.
Event #3 – FireSmart – August 13, 2025
We had offered our first FireSmart group a second opportunity to visit the Piers Island team as only 6 had been able to make the first event, although more had been signed up. We spoke to Sidney Fire Department, noticing that they had just set up a FireSmart component to their department and offered assistance to them. We were then contacted by Rosie at CRD FireSmart with a request for another visit. Rosie had attended our first event. This was again a great opportunity for an exchange of information, and both the Piers FireSmart and Emergency Management teams were involved.
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