Day 1
9:00am - Noon
Pre-Conference Training:
Niagara Region - Patricia Martel
Planning Role
Speaker bio
Dr. Patricia Martel has more than 17 years of experience in emergency management. This includes working with provincial and regional governments, municipalities and Indigenous communities. Patricia completed a PhD focused on operational emergency planning for vulnerable populations to learn how to better transform theory and practice into effective solutions. Patricia has developed recognized best practices for hazard identification and risk assessment, emergency planning for vulnerable groups and public education. This includes the 2012 Provincial HIRA, which was internationally acclaimed for features including pro-active assessment of changes in vulnerability and frequency risk due to factors such as climate change.
11:00am - 1:00pm
Registration & Refreshments
1:00 - 1:20pm
Opening Remarks
1:20 - 2:05pm
Emergency Management Ontario - Eric Everett
Opening Keynote
Speaker Bio -
Eric Everett is the Assistant Deputy Minister of the Emergency Management Strategy, Monitoring and Intelligence Division at Emergency Management Ontario (EMO). This division is responsible for a variety of strategic functions, including policy and governance, hazard monitoring and risk assessment, ministry emergency management programs, emergency response plans, and continuous improvement. This includes leading the proposed modernization of the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act. Eric is also co-chair for two national committees: the Senior Officials Responsible for Emergency Management and the Canadian Council of Emergency Management Organizations. Joining EMO in 2022, he was previously Director of the Exercises, Education and Training Branch, where he designed and led the branch’s ongoing transition into the Preparedness Centre of Excellence. He has extensive training in incident management and volunteers for EMO’s first deployable Incident Management Team program. Eric’s passion for emergency management is rooted in 25 years of volunteer experiences. Notably, he is proud to have served as a volunteer firefighter and medical first responder, as well as Training Officer, for two rural municipal fire departments in Northwestern Ontario, for many years. He was born and lived most of his life in rural areas around Thunder Bay, Ontario. Since 2019, Eric has lived in Toronto with his family and in recent years, also splits time on the beautiful shores of Lake Superior near Sault Ste. Marie.
2:05 - 2:50pm
Red Cross - Karrie Lepoudre, CRSP
Beyond Standard ESS - Addressing Health Needs and Impacts Before and During Emergencies
Take a journey with the Canadian Red Cross to learn about various approaches and experiences addressing health needs and impacts both before and during emergencies and evacuations. Learn about new innovations and opportunities to address Health in emergencies, including examples and stories from across the Country.
Speaker Bio
Karrie began her career with Canadian Red Cross in 2013 as an EM Coordinator where she built up teams and relationships for eight years in Northern Ontario. Throughout this time, she successfully led several L2 responses and spearheaded an EM volunteer mentorship system that allowed the local EM volunteer team to flourish. In the last three years, Karrie has supported in the planning and operation role for supports to First Nation evacuation. Until recently held the position of Regional Operations Manager, Northern Ontario, EM and in this role, she has been instrumental in nurturing our external relationships and to the success and continuous improvement of our support to Indigenous evacuations. She has successfully acted as FOT Lead and PDCT Deputy Lead on many occasions, including through some of our team’s most demanding and complex responses. Also holds expertise in training and facilitation and has been an instructor for Environmental/Emergency Management programs at Canadore College since 2013. Combined with her career background in Health and Safety and Environment, her background as an instructor and her many years of organizational knowledge and experience on both the response and readiness side in EM.
2:50 - 3:05pm
Break
3:05 - 4:00pm
Two Breakout Sessions:
EMO - Dilprit Shergill
Provincial Exercise Heatwave
Speaker Bio -
Dilprit Shergill is a Team Lead at Emergency Management Ontario who served as lead planner and exercise controller for "Practiced Ontario 2024: Exercise Heatwave" and previously acted as a Deputy Commander in the Provincial Emergency Operations Centre. He brings over a decade of emergency management experience drawn from service with the Canadian Armed Forces, Canada Border Services Agency, and Public Safety Canada. Mr. Shergill also teaches Emergency Management and Incident Management Systems (IMS), including exercise design. He holds a Master’s in Disaster and Emergency Management from York University and an AMA-CPM designation from the American Management Association.
Hydro One - Shannon Murphy
Powering Preparedness
Shannon will be speaking on “Powering Preparedness,” exploring strategies to enhance community resilience through collective action.
Speaker Bio
Shannon is an experienced emergency manager with over two decades in the field of emergency response and preparedness. Currently serving as an Emergency Manager with Hydro One, Shannon leads a portfolio focused on external partnerships, collaborating with various organizations to enhance resilience. Prior to this role, she spent years in emergency management roles in both the private sector and municipal sector. Shannon began her career as a paramedic with the BC Ambulance Service, providing hands-on emergency care across diverse environments. With a comprehensive background that spans both utility and municipal sectors, Shannon brings a unique perspective on fostering collaboration between stakeholders to strengthen emergency preparedness.
4:00 - 5:00pm
GES Canada - Michelle Gervais
For Your Consideration - Leveraging Resources, Social Capital, and Robust Planning for Effective Evacuations and Reception Centres
This session will explore the critical components of managing localized community emergencies, focusing on optimizing resources and harnessing social capital during evacuations and reception center operations. Through the use of case studies, the session will highlight the importance of comprehensive emergency plans, clearly defined roles and responsibilities, donation management, and crisis communications to ensure a resilient response.
Participants will leave equipped with practical steps and strategies that they can take back to their organizations; enhancing preparedness and improving operational effectiveness for future emergencies.
Speaker Bio -
Michelle Gervais is a highly accomplished Emergency Services professional with extensive experience in emergency management, fire, and paramedic services. Known for her leadership in navigating complex emergencies, she has successfully managed mass evacuations and critical incidents while strategically optimizing resources and strengthening local networks of support. With a proven track record in conducting comprehensive risk assessments, spearheading strategic planning initiatives, and overseeing emergency operations, Michelle consistently delivers results that enhance both community safety and organizational resilience.
In 2022, she received the Emergency Management Exemplary Service Award for Outstanding Contribution to Emergency Management. Michelle holds a Master’s degree in Emergency Management and is currently pursuing an MBA, further expanding her expertise in leadership and organizational strategy. She also holds multiple professional designations and certifications, which underscore her commitment to driving innovation, fostering collaboration, and building resilient, well-prepared communities. Michelle's hands-on approach and visionary leadership make her a trusted figure in the field, continuously advancing best practices across the sector.
5:00 - 5:30pm
Tradeshow and Networking
5:30pm
Dinner - Crooked Arrow Catering
Sponsored by Hydro One
Entertainment - Danny Johnson
A Thunder Bay Musicians’ Association member, Danny Johnson has been a familiar face around Thunder Bay for several years now, whether performing as a solo artist, with his band 21 Gun Fun, with Dueling Pianos, or with his jazz trio.
He is a well-respected singer/songwriter who has performed at venues and festivals around the world and has opened for and toured with many acclaimed acts, including Bob Dylan, The Tragically Hip, Colin James, David Wilcox, Fred Eaglesmith, George Jones, Valdy and Johnny Cash. He was invited to perform for a special tour for the Six String Nation Guitar Tour (a guitar made from various Canadian historical items). He is presently working on an album with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, one of the finest slide players in the world, who was awarded a Grammy for his album with Ry Cooder, A Meeting By The River.