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VICTORIA – Nineteen avalanche safety and education
events will take place at various resorts and parks throughout British Columbia
during Avalanche Awareness Days, Jan. 11-13, said John Les, Minister of Public Safety
and Solicitor General.
“Each year, more and more people participate in
winter recreation in B.C., and we all need to do all we can to be safe out
there,” added Les. “Tragically, we’ve already seen six fatalities this season
as a result of avalanches.”
On average, over the past decade in Canada, 14
people have been killed and 75 injured by avalanches each year.
Avalanche
Awareness Days will take place this weekend at ski hills throughout B.C.
including the North Shore, where Minister Les and AdventureSmart members will
participate in avalanche safety demonstrations and winter outdoor safety
clinics at Grouse Mountain. Visitors at the ski hill can join the minister and
AdventureSmart members in the Dig to Win game, which teaches people how to use
personal locater beacons.
AdventureSmart provides a broad range of programs
that encourage safe participation in outdoor activities. The program is managed
by the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) in partnership with the B.C. Search
and Rescue Association and the National Search and Rescue Secretariat.
Following a review in 2003, the Province announced
annual funding of $125,000 in support of the new Canadian Avalanche Centre,
which resulted in subsequent funding from Parks Canada, the Meteorological
Service of Canada, the Province of Alberta and others. PEP works closely with
the Canadian Avalanche Centre and the Canadian Avalanche Foundation in
promoting safety programs.
For more information on Avalanche Awareness Days
and other outdoor safety information, please visit www.adventuresmart.ca,
www.pep.bc.ca,
and www.avalanche.ca
online.
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contact: |
Communications Manager Provincial Emergency Program 250 952-4846 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca. |
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