Capital Region Emergency Radio Coordinators Committee

Terms of Reference

Background

The GVMACC Terms of Reference were drafted in the spring of 1999, approved by the GVECC at their May meeting and adopted at the June meeting of the GVMACC.

To better reflect the actual coverage area of the Emergency Coordinators’ Commission, which is that of the CRD, the preface ”Greater Victoria“ was replaced by ”Regional“. Hence GVECC became RECC. The term ”Municipal Amateur Coordinator“ was replaced by ”Emergency Radio Coordinator“ and was prefaced with ”Capital Region“.  Hence GVMACC became CRERCC in March of 2008.

Structure

The CRERCC is a sub-committee of the Regional Emergency Coordinators Commission.

Responsibilities

To operate the Regional Emergency Coordination Net for the CRD RECC during operations and exercises.

To ensure that Local Authorities within the CRD have an effective Regional Emergency Coordination Net available to them by:  

Coordinating emergency plans of signatory communications teams.

Assisting local authorities and agencies with their communications planning.

Facilitating the development and sharing of emergency communications plans.

Developing technical standards and protocols.

Providing technical and operational advice regarding emergency amateur radio communication requirements, capabilities and issues to both CRERCC member groups and the RECC.

Coordinating, and where appropriate delivering, emergency amateur radio communication related training.

Providing exercise planning and evaluation resources as required.

Conducting CRD-wide communication exercises.

Coordinating CRD-wide activities to encourage participation in emergency communication programs.

Coordinating the sharing of resources, as appropriate.

Members

Emergency Radio Coordinators that have been appointed by a local authority which is signatory to the emergency planning MoU, and their Deputies.

Regional Emergency Radio Representative.

Voting

Signatory Local Authorities, Electoral areas and the RERR are entitled to one vote each.

The chairperson will decide whether a question before a meeting will be decided by a Formal Vote or a Consensus Vote.

If a formal vote is required, voting will take place at the next regular meeting. Details of the upcoming vote shall be included in the minutes and distributed to all members.

If a voting member or their deputy cannot be present at the meeting at which a formal vote is to be taken, the member shall advise the Secretary of his/her vote by proxy.  Nine members shall constitute a quorum.

All interested parties are welcome to attend as non-voting observers.

Executive

For the purpose of this section, the term ”ERC“ refers to Coordinators and Deputy Coordinators.

Chairperson shall be an ERC elected by the other ERCs.

The chairperson will be responsible for:

Calling and conducting meetings.

Determining voting procedures.

Deputy Chairperson shall be an ERC elected by the other ERCs.

The Deputy Chairperson will be responsible for:

Assuming the duties of the Chairperson in the event that he or she is absent.

The secretary will be elected from the members and will be responsible for:

Preparing and circulating meeting agendas.

Recording and circulating meeting minutes. 

Executive terms shall be for a 2 year period.  Elections will be held at the June meeting.  To promote continuity, the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson will be elected on alternating years.

Procedures

Meetings shall be conducted in accordance with ”Robert’s Rules of Order“.

Presentations

Any member may request agenda time to make a presentation or suggestion to the Committee.  

Local Authorities

CRD Member Municipalities and Electoral Areas that are Local Authorities as defined in the Act and which are signatory to the emergency planning MoU.

Municipalities

City of Colwood

City of Victoria

City of Langford

District of Central Saanich

District of Highlands

District of Metchosen

District of North Saanich

District of Oak Bay

District of Saanich

District of Sooke

Town of Sidney

Town of View Royal

Township of Esquimalt

Electoral Areas  

Juan de Fuca

Salt Spring Island

Southern Gulf Islands

Glossary of terms used in this document

[Amateur Radio Operator] a person holding a valid Certificate of Proficiency issued in accordance with the regulations made pursuant to the Radiocommunications Act.

[Consensus Vote] – A question on which all members at a meeting are polled to determine the opinion or advice of the majority and will usually deal with questions which are advisory and where simple-majority is appropriate.

[CRD]- Capital Regional District – A federation of 13 Municipalities and 3 Electoral Areas; the CRD provides region-wide services and acts as local government in the Electoral Areas.

[EC] Emergency Coordinator– The person appointed by a Local Authority to coordinate emergency planning and response activities for that local authority.

[ERC] Emergency Radio Coordinator– The amateur radio operator appointed by a Local Authority to perform the functions of the Emergency Radio Coordinator as detailed in the Communications Guide.

[Formal Vote] – A question on in which only ERCs will cast deciding votes, usually a resolution which will:

have a decisive influence on the emergency radio operations and/or policies of the member local authorities of the RECC.

approve a report or recommendation to the RECC ; or, alter these Terms of Reference.

[GVECC] - Greater Victoria Emergency Coordinators’ Committee.

[MoU] - Memorandum of Understanding

[RECC] - Regional Emergency Coordinators’ Commission.

[RERR] - Regional Emergency Radio Representative – The person selected by the 

Regional Manager in accordance with Section 3.2 of the Guide.

[The Act]  Emergency Program Act  [RSBC 1996] CHAPTER 111

[The Guide] Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Guide Third Edition,

issued by PEP

This page was last updated on Friday, January 2, 2009