Chapter 20. Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness

The eastern Canadian ice storm of 1998, Hurricane Juan and the BC fires of 2003 illustrated the need for municipalities to properly plan for natural emergencies in the maintenance of their trees. Training and educating urban forestry personnel for emergency situations is important because of the high potential for danger in most forestry operations. Safety must always be a priority. Municipalities may develop a health and safety policy for tree workers, including steps to ensure workers receive necessary training, to prevent accidents on-the-job, to protect the public from injury around worksites, and to ensure workers follow safety procedures. When working around storm damage, safety precautions include working in pairs or teams, assessing trees for damage before starting work, and ensuring that only qualified professionals are allowed to touch electrical wires and cables.

Health and safety policies for tree workers:

• Workplace Safety & Prevention Services: Arborist Industry Safe Work Practices Guide

Emergency planning guides:

• U.S. Forest Service: Urban Forestry Emergency Operations Planning Guide for Storm Response
• Smart Trees Pacific: Urban Forestry Emergency Operations Planning Guide for Storm Response
• Vibrant Cities Lab: Urban Forestry Emergency Operations Planning Guide for Storm Response