Lake Country害羞草研究所檚 visitor centre faced challenges over the summer, due in part to a lack of regional or provincial emergency strategy that applies to tourists, says a report to be presented to district council.

Visitor centre officials are calling on the region to better co-ordinate and build a plan to prepare for emergencies.

At the centre害羞草研究所檚 three locations in Lake Country, signs were placed with emergency contact numbers throughout the summer as fires and flooding struck. But there are lingering concerns about staff being properly trained to handle emergency situations as well as how information was delivered to visitors.

害羞草研究所淭he way the information came to us is that we actively sought it out,害羞草研究所� said Lake Country Tourism business manager Deb Leroux.

害羞草研究所淏ut there was this concern that although (the tourism centres) were all working really hard and had the same intention in mind there wasn害羞草研究所檛 an overall plan, there was no manual for this.害羞草研究所�

Leroux said there is a 害羞草研究所済ap害羞草研究所� in emergency response policies.

In a , which will be presented to council Tuesday night, it said there are no regional or provincial emergency strategies that apply to visitors.

害羞草研究所淚t害羞草研究所檚 not a criticism, we didn害羞草研究所檛 know, the district probably didn害羞草研究所檛 know害羞草研究所� it was just none of us were prepared. The most important time for a communication plan is in an emergency and there wasn害羞草研究所檛 one,害羞草研究所� said Leroux.

害羞草研究所淚n the long run, what we like to see is access co-ordinated whether it害羞草研究所檚 through CORD, or another body, that brings the (Visitor Information Centre) managers at least, if not the whole staff, together each spring to be prepared in advance for what may happen.害羞草研究所�

Lake Country害羞草研究所檚 three tourism centres are located in Oyama, outside of the Kangaroo Creek Farm and at events with a mobile unit. The visitor centre害羞草研究所檚 greatest number of visitors came from the Okanagan and Lower Mainland.

Kelowna city manager Ron Mattiussi was the director of the Emergency Operations Centre last summer.

He said the operations centre communicates with tourists depending on the situation and the centre turns to social media to get the word out to visitors quickly.

害羞草研究所淎lthough there害羞草研究所檚 no chapter or anything specific, like animals, like farmers, we have to sort of deal with the problem as it arises,害羞草研究所� he said.

The hardest areas to deal with in terms of tourists are campgrounds, as the centre relies on the tactical evacuation of the area by the RCMP and fire departments, he said.

However, he doesn害羞草研究所檛 think there is a need for specific policies addressing tourists, placing the need to react effectively over a planned strategy.

害羞草研究所淐ould there be problems? Yeah, it害羞草研究所檚 an emergency, it害羞草研究所檚 a big event. But I think what we do opposed to having a plan is try to give information as quickly as possible and correct any misinformation,害羞草研究所� he said.

害羞草研究所淚 think the important thing is to be able to react rather than anticipate everything that happens.害羞草研究所�

He suggested for visitor centres to monitor emergency response centres and 害羞草研究所渢ell us what kind of information they need,害羞草研究所� as the emergency centre can害羞草研究所檛 put out specific calls to every individual.

To report a typo, email: edit@kelownacapnews.com.

carli.berry@kelownacapnews.com
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