June 26, 2015
Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC), in partnership with Public Safety Canada, will support five innovative projects to develop enhanced tools and knowledge for Canada’s fire and paramedics services. These projects are part of an overall investment of approximately $12 million in 24 projects under the Canadian Safety and Security Program (CSSP).
Making Investments to Achieve Strategic Objectives
CSSP funding supports projects and activities that respond to Canadian public safety and security priorities, and also addresses capability gaps. These gaps are identified in consultation with safety and security communities of practice, representing policy, operational and intelligence experts.
Ultimately, the goal of the program’s investments is to ensure that Canadians and their institutions have a greater resilience to global and domestic public safety and security threats. These efforts are guided by a set of long-term outcomes:
- Canada’s economic vibrancy and sovereign integrity is maintained through resilient critical infrastructure and the efficient flow of people, goods, and services across its borders and ports of entry;
- A robust, connected and multi-jurisdictional security/intelligence and national emergency management system is in place to provide an effective full-spectrum preventive, protective, responsive and adaptive capability of people, responders and systems from all hazards; and,
- The public is confident that public security threats are being identified, assessed and addressed in a way that keeps pace with the evolving natures of threats, reflects Canadian values, and maintains the integrity of both the criminal justice and national security systems.
Selected Projects
Note that specific funding amounts for each approved project will be formalized following the successful completion of ongoing negotiations between project proponents and the Government of Canada.
Project 1
Public Safety Canada and the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs will lead a project to implement a National Fire Information Database as a technology pilot to improve evidence-based decision- making, enhance fire operations, enable effective policy creation at all levels of government, and increase the quality of research and trend analysis related to fire incidents in all parts of Canada.
- Partners: Council of Canadian Fire Marshals & Fire Commissioners; Rhapsody Strategies Inc.; and Wilfrid Laurier University.
Project 2
Natural Resources Canada will lead a project to develop models that will enable Canada to better predict the occurrence and duration of severe large wildfires in order to enhance our ability to anticipate and prepare for large wildfires, inform national preparedness planning, improve mutual aid decision- making, and ultimately improve Canada’s resilience to wildfires.
- Partners: Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre; and Western University.
Project 3
Alberta’s Health Services Emergency Medical Services will lead a Community Paramedic study to compare the results of blood testing devices used in the community setting to standard laboratory practices. The findings will assist Alberta Health Services Emergency Medical Services and other paramedic leaders in making evidence-based decisions to ensure effective and efficient programs, with the goal of optimizing community safety.
- Partners: Calgary Laboratory Services; and University of Calgary.
Project 4
The Canadian Nuclear Laboratories will lead a project to enhance knowledge and develop strategies to improve recruiting, sustaining and retaining volunteers, particularly volunteer firefighters.
- Partner: Social Research and Demonstration Corporation.
Project 5
The County of Frontenac and Queen's University (Kingston, Ontario) will lead a research effort to enhance our understanding of health and wellness indicators for paramedics across Canada to help inform operational and staffing decisions.
- Partners: Paramedic Chiefs of Canada; Paramedic Association of Canada; and Wilfrid Laurier University
About the CSSP
Established in 2012, the CSSP invests in science and technology (S&T) projects that strengthen Canada’s ability to anticipate, prevent, mitigate, prepare for, respond to and recover from natural disasters, serious accidents, crime and terrorism. This is achieved through the convergence of S&T with policy, operations and intelligence.
The CSSP is led by DRDC’s Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS), in partnership with Public Safety Canada, and supports academic, first responders, federal, provincial or municipal government-led projects in collaboration with response and emergency management organizations, non-governmental agencies, industry and academia.
About DRDC
Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) is the national leader in defence and security S&T. As an agency of Canada’s Department of National Defence (DND), DRDC provides DND, the Canadian Armed Forces and other government departments as well as the public safety and security communities with the knowledge and technology advantage needed to defend and protect Canada’s interests at home and abroad.
About Public Safety
Public Safety’s mandate is to keep Canadians safe from a range of risks such as natural disasters, crime and terrorism. Public Safety works with all levels of government, first responders, community groups, the private sector, non-government organizations and other nations on national security, border strategies, countering crime, emergency management and other safety and security initiatives.
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