Keeping you safe during and after a fire, natural disaster, or other emergency, is a City priority. It is important to remember, though, that everyone plays a role in making sure we all stay safe and secure.
How to protect yourself
We are all responsible for ensuring our own safety, and the safety of our family members. Take some time to learn how to reduce your risks, and make sure you understand what to do if disaster strikes.
You should be prepared to evacuate during an emergency, know how to eliminate or minimize the chance of a fire in your home, and understand what to do in the hours and days following a major emergency.
You should also spend time helping every member of your family prepare for emergencies, so that even young children will know what to do to stay out of harm's way.
How the City helps protect you
Vancouver makes significant investments to ensure that the entire city, and everyone in it, remains as safe as possible at all times.
From state-of-the-art firefighting equipment, to free disaster preparedness workshops, to training programs for children, to seismic upgrades of all important roads, bridges, and buildings, you can feel confident that your safety is the City's number one concern.
Free workshops: Earthquake Preparedness
The best way to stay safe during any emergency is to be prepared.
Take a free workshop, and learn exactly how to protect yourself, your family, your pets, and your property during earthquakes or other disasters.
E-Comm 9-1-1 and dispatch service
E-Comm is the largest 9-1-1 centre in British Columbia and provides emergency communication services as the first point of contact for 9-1-1 callers in many regional districts across the province.
E-Comm also provides integrated call-taking and dispatch services for police and fire partner agencies in BC and owns and operates the wide-area radio network used by police officers, firefighters, and ambulance paramedics throughout Metro Vancouver and parts of the Fraser Valley.
E-Comm is the 9-1-1 Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) and provides dispatch services for Vancouver Police Department and Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services. This means E-Comm answers initial 9-1-1 calls and then transfers the call to another E-Comm representative to dispatch services for Vancouver Police Department or Vancouver Fire and Rescue Services, if needed.
Learn more
Prepare and protect your family, home, or business from an earthquake, fire, or other emergency
Earthquakes
Vancouver is at a high-risk of having an earthquake. Be prepared. Learn what we are doing and how you can help if an earthquake strikes.
Prepare for disasters
Get the help, information, and training you need to keep yourself, your family, and your property safe during an emergency.
How Vancouver prepares for emergencies
Learn about City of Vancouver projects and initiatives for keeping our city safe during an earthquake or other disaster.
Volunteer to help in an emergency
Learn how you can volunteer for public events, emergencies, and disasters with the Vancouver Volunteer Corps.
Fire safety
Keeping yourself, your family, and your home safe from a fire. Get prevention tips, apply for fire permits and inspections, and find out what to do after a fire.
Alarm permit
All homes and businesses with an alarm system or security system must have an alarm permit and renew it every year. Apply for and manage your alarm permit.
