Introduction -- Mark Bennett

[Dave Colvin <ppddgc@julian.uwo.ca>]

Greetings,

I was advised of this site by Dave Colvin, and would like to sign on.  I
have been hired by the University of Calgary, on a contract basis, to
develop and consolidate their emergency management plans and procedures.
My exact title is Emergency Management Advisor to the Vice President of
Finance and Services.

As a new subscriber, please permit me to provide a little biographical
information.  I am a manager/coordinator with 21 years of progressive
environmental/emergency management/public safety
experience. My professional career has included all levels of government;
working in every province except New Brunswick.  I have been fortunate
enough to access a wealth of post secondary education and professional
training.  I am a practiced communicator, experienced in both written and
oral presentations.

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Queen’s University, a Public
Sector Management Certificate from the University of Manitoba and a Master
of Public Administration from the U of M and the
University of Winnipeg.  I have continued graduate studies and was an
Executive in the Disaster Research Institute and an Assistant Professor of
Geography at the U of M from 1993 to 1998.  I am currently taking courses
in the Environmental Management Program (University of Calgary). For the
past two years I have been a part-time member of the Directing Staff at the
Canadian Emergency Preparedness College.  In total I have over 600 hrs of
professional training.

My initiation to Emergency Response was as an Environment Officer/Team
Member (1983-86).  I was involved in high profile incidents, including the
1985 PCB spill on the Trans-Canada Highway,
near Kenora, ON.  As Supervisor of Planning and Research and Deputy
Director (1986-90) of Manitoba EMO, I dealt with a broader spectrum of
hazards and responses.  The 1989 Manitoba Forest Fires necessitated a
massive and complex response. As Senior Operations Officer my duties included;
managing the provincial Emergency Operations Centre (EOC); Acting Director,
as required; and coordinating the evacuation of over 23,000 persons.
Evacuations were conducted by air (over 400
flights), road, rail and boat from 24 northern communities to fifteen
southern communities for up to 2 weeks.  In 1990 I became the City of
Winnipeg’s first Emergency Program Coordinator.  Significantly involved
with the “Flood of the Century” (1997), the second greatest in history, I
managed the
City’s EOC; participated regularly in daily news conferences; and was a key
advisor to the Mayor and Council.  Overall the Program I established both
reduced disaster related costs to the City
and increased revenues.

In October 1992, during the Hurricane Andrew response, I volunteered with
the American Red Cross, in Miami, Florida.  He helped manage a shelter
housing victims.  I was one of the first Canadian members of the
International Association of Emergency Managers.  Furthermore, I have been
a Certified Emergency
Manager (CEM) since 1996 and I am the first Canadian (non-US)  Commissioner
serving on the CEM Commission.  I am a member of the ER (Emergency
Response) 2000+ Steering Committee, assembled nationally by the Major
Industrial Accident Council of Canada.  I'm also a Past President of the
Winnipeg Region Council of the Red Cross and represented Manitoba nationally.

Having said a this, however, I am now on to a new challenge for which I
know I shall require help and guidance.  I know there are many planners
with vastly more experience in the post secondary
milieu than I.  I'm hoping to meet them, at least electronically, and I
hope they will be willing to help me along.

Thanks.

Mark Bennett CEM
The University of Calgary
Attn: Safety Services
Science A Bldg.  Rm. 017
2500 University Drive NW
Calgary AB
T2N 1N4

phone: (403) 220-8410
fax:  (403) 284-1332
e-mail: bennettm@ucalgary.ca


DAVE COLVIN
Y2K Contingency Coordinator &
Campus Emergency Planning Coordinator
University of Western Ontario, Services Building
Room 120,  London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5B9 
Physical Plant WWW Page http://www.uwo.ca/ppd/
Work (519) 679-2111 ext. 8873 -  Fax (519) 661-3801
----------------------------------------
Communications/Ground Team Leader-CASARA London Air Patrol
CANWARN/Environment Canada Severe Weather Watcher
Personal WWW Page http://hamster.ivey.uwo.ca/~dcolvin/

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