OAEM Community News Digest 2023



Sept. 2023

  • Dale Gartshore takes on the role of Deputy Fire Chief and CEMC for the City of Sarnia Fire Rescue. Congratulations!
  • CIFAL York is hosting a symposium: Inside the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre (PH-EOC) during COVID-19 Pandemic and Next Generation Pandemic Exercise on September 28th and 29th. For details and a link to the registration: https://www.yorku.ca/cifal/pheoc/.
  • The City of Cambridge and the Township of Woolwich is planning a joint exercise over the next two years. Year 1 is a tabletop exercise in preparation for the Year 2 full scale exercise. It will be a great experience that provides a feasible and effective educational experience that improves operational readiness for both municipalities.
  • OAEM ‘In Your Community’ looks forward to participating in the Hamilton CAER Group late Summer Session on September 28th. The session will focus on emergency management within the transportation sector. 
  • Join OAEM's Emergency Management Spotlight Series webinar event on September 20th with guest speaker Darrin Spence Board Chair First Nations Emergency Response Association (FNERA). Register now!   

  • Did you know that as part of OAEM’s strategic partnership with DRI Canada, Members can take advantage of a 15% discount on high caliber training and certification in business continuity? DRI Canada offers a wide variety of business continuity courses to enhance your professional education, knowledge and skills. Are you interested? To register for a DRI Canada course and receive an exclusive OAEM Member discount, please refer to the Course Registration Instructions. 


August 2023

  • OAEM is thrilled to announce the launch of their first ever Member Ambassador Program; an outreach campaign that leverages the power of relationships! Member Ambassadors are OAEM members (Individual, Corporate and Student) representing Canada’s largest professional emergency management and business continuity Association – Ontario’s public, private, indigenous, non-government emergency management and business continuity professional community including next generation students. Click here to learn more! 
  • Join OAEM's Emergency Management Spotlight Series webinar event on August 16th featuring the Ontario Municipal Social Services Association (OMSSA) with guest speakers Doug Ball, Executive Director and Darryl Wolk, Manager Policy Development and Public Affairs. Learn about the role of the Municipal Service Manager in emergency social services planning, managing and responding to local emergencies. 
  • The year's Annual General Meeting will be held in-person on Friday, November 24 2023 at 8:30 a.m. at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Fire and Emergency Services Training Institute (FESTI) located at 2025 Courtney Park Drive in Mississauga. An official notice and information package will be provided to all Members at a later date. Planning is underway for this special event and the excitement is building!  

July 2023

  • OAEM is calling Next Generation Emergency Management and Business Continuity Professionals! Applications Go Live on August 1st. OAEM is seeking emerging emergency management and business continuity professionals to join the Student Subcommittee from September 2023 to June 2024. For more information, visit the EM Students section of our website.
  • Congratulations to Deryn Rizzi, Fire Chief and Director of Emergency Management City of Mississauga on receiving the prestigious Fire Chief of the Year Award from the Ontario Municipal Fire Prevention Officers Association.
  • The OAEM Board is thrilled to announce that Charles-Antoine Duval (Emergency Management Specialist QM Environmental) has joined our prestigious volunteer Board of Directors as interim appointed Director of Student Engagement (formerly Education). Welcome aboard!
  • The OAEM Board is thrilled to announce that Scott Hill, CPP, PSP (Director of 3D Security and Response Services) has joined our prestigious volunteer Board of Directors as interim appointed Treasurer/Privacy Officer (Executive Board). Welcome aboard!
  • Please join the OAEM Board in congratulating Wilbert Wesley as a recipient of an Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award (EMESA) for his outstanding achievements in the field of emergency management! The EMESA is a prestigious recognition for exceptional service and achievement. This award, a partnership between provincial, territorial and federal governments, recognizes recipients who have achieved excellence in their respective fields. Wilbert Wesley is the Emergency Management Services Manager for the Mushkegowuk Council and is the OAEM First Nations Advisory Team (FNAT) Lead. To learn more about the EMESA, visit: https://www.publicsafety.gc.ca/cnt/mrgnc-mngmnt/xmplry-wrds/index-en.aspx
  • OAEM announces Emergency Management Spotlight Series Event for July 19th: an overview of the Municipal Recovery Assistance Program and Guidelines with guest speaker Roderick Peters, Municipal Programs and Outreach, Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (event reschdule to January 2024)
  • OAEM 2023 Annual General Meeting event planning is now underway! The excitement is building...
  • New OAEM Member Ambassador Program is coming your way! Details to be shared in August.  
  • The OAEM Board is thrilled to announce that Denise Scholtz (Emergency Management and Business Continuity Manager, City of Cambridge) will be joining our prestigious volunteer Board of Directors as interim appointed Secretary (Executive Board). Welcome aboard!

June 2023

  • CIFAL York Events Speaker Series: Emergency Management in Hospitals and Healthcare begins on Wednesday, July 5th, 2023, with speaker Kassondra Stockman presenting on the topic of the Application of the Ontario IMS in Healthcare Settings. https://www.yorku.ca/cifal/emhospitals/ and Environment, Social, and Governance in Practice begins on Wednesday, July 12th, 2023, with speaker Claire Bennet presenting on the topic of ESG Reporting: Drivers and Trends. https://www.yorku.ca/cifal/esgpractice/ Both events will be held virtually via Zoom Webinar. Registration is open and free!
  • OAEM Members can now view, download and print online learning certificates! How? Go to www.oaem.ca and Sign In (Member Login). Next, click the Resources tab (under Member Menu), click Online Learning and scroll down to My Certificates.
  • OAEM congratulates Melanie Jones, City of Brockville’s new Fire Chief!
  • OAEM is excited to announce the date for their 2023 in-person Annual General Meeting: November 24th. Details coming soon!
  • OAEM congratulates Assistant Deputy Fire Marshal John Snider for being appointed as Ontario's Deputy Fire Marshal!
  • OAEM congratulates Kevin Smith on being appointed President of the Paramedic Chiefs of Canada! 
  • Daphe Farrell, OAEM Director of Communities, presents 'OAEM In Your Community' at the spring EMO Sector Meeting in Toronto
  • OAEM First Nations Advisory Team (FNAT) meets with the Board to discuss current and future goals
  • OAEM is excited to announce our partnership with North City Insurance Brokers to provide discounted group rates for our Members on their Home and Auto insurance. North City Insurance Brokers brings over 40 years of experience in providing exceptional savings to professional association members throughout Ontario.
  • OAEM hosts EM Spotlight Series virtual event with Guest Speaker Sharon Bak talking about Mental Health for Emergency Management Professionals on June 21
  • OAEM proudly supports Boots on the Ground; Anonymous Peer Support for Ontario's First Responder Community

May 2023

  • OAEM's 2nd Annual Tribute to First Responders Day on May 1st was a huge success! A sincere thank you to everyone who participated in this year's event by contributing a tribute video.
  • OAEM's Communications Team collaborated with EMO to amplify and promote key messages for this year's Emergency Preparedness Week campaign. Thank you to Martin Gierzcak, Director of Communications, and Editors Megan Storozuk and Colin Mander for creating original video content highlighting a wide range of risk specific preparedness messaging.
  • EM Spotlight Series Virtual Event on May 11 - Flood Management in Ontario. During Emergency Preparedness Week, Conservation Ontario, the network of the 36 Conservation Authorities (CAs) is raising awareness of Ontario's flood management program, and the critical role of CAs in collaboration with emergency managers, municipalities, the province and other levels of government and partners. Thank you to our guest speakers Angela Coleman (General Manager Conservation Ontario), Katherine Watson (Coordinator, Flood Forecast and Warning Program, South Nation Conservation) and Mark Anderson, Water Quality Engineer, Grant River Conservation Authority!
  • EM Spotlight Series Virtual Event on May 17 - A Safe, Practiced and Prepared Ontario with Guest Speaker Bernie Derible, Deputy Minister and Commissioner of Emergency Management Ontario and sharing insights about Ontario's first-ever Provincial Emergency Management Strategy and Action Plan (PEMSAP). 
  • OAEM is proud to sponsor Dufferin County's EM Forum on May 31st in Orangeville! Daphne Farrell, Director of Communities, is a guest speaker at this year's micro-community forum and will present OAEM's new 'In Your Community' presentation. Thank you to Steve Murphy, CEMC/Manager - Preparedness, 911 and Corporate Projects, County of Dufferin and Daphne Farrell for the opportunity to engage with Ontario's emergency management community. 
  • OAEM is thrilled to announce our newest Website Sponsors: North City Insurance Brokers and the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC). Thank you for your generous support! 
  • Workshop Announcement - Save the Date! OAEM is hosting a virtual, 1 day Scribe Training for the EOC with Training Facilitator Monique Rollin on September 18. Stay tuned for registration details. Limited spaces available.  
  • Exciting new Member benefit coming soon! 
  • OAEM launches their new official YouTube Channel.
  • Calling all OAEM Guest Bloggers! Are you interested in being an OAEM Guest Blogger - a thought leader who wants to share knowledge, insights and perspectives about the evolving and diverse field of emergency management in Ontario? Connect with us at communications@oaem.ca 

April 2023

  • The OAEM Board is thrilled to welcome two interim appointed Directors and a Board Member to the team: Catherine Blair, Vice President, Jason Reid Director of Partnerships and Charles-Antoine Duval, Student Board Member.

March 2023

  • OAEM launches their first ever Website Sponsorship Program!  Your best choice to promote your brand to the emergency management sector influencers and decision makers who matter most to your business, organization or association. And, it’s about so much more than your logo on OAEM’s website. It’s about gaining valuable business relationships and positioning your organization as a strong supporter of Ontario’s professional emergency management and business continuity community. Interested in learning more? Contact administration@oaem.ca

February 2023

  • The OAEM Team determines 7 Strategic Pillars at their annual in-person, member focused 2023 Strategic Planning Session. Thank you to Sonia Singh and Ben Gallagher (City of Mississauga) for their outstanding facilitation skills!
  • New Member Welcome Kits under construction!
  • OAEM issues memorandum regarding recent change to the OAEM Student Membership eligibility requirements as amended by special resolution at the 2022 Annual General Meeting. 

January 2023

  • The OAEM Board congratulates Douglas Holland on receiving the Ontario Municipal Management Institute (OMMI) CMM Emergency Management Accreditation. Well done!
  • Planning is now underway for OAEM's annual Tribute to First Responders Day and collaboration with EMO staff for the launch of this year's Emergency Preparedness Week outreach campaign. 
  • The OAEM Team is energized, driven and focused on delivering 'in your community' member value - connecting Ontario's emergency management and business continuity community.