Exercise type: Functional Tabletop Exercise, Two Online Tabletop Exercises 

Timeframe: 2 Hours (10-minute introduction/ agenda + 1.5 hours of work + 20-minute discussion [hot wash]) 

It has been a very dry summer and late fall, and an extreme lightning storm rolled through the far north of Ontario late last month. This storm caused several forest fires and related smoke threats that ultimately led to the evacuation of several First Nation Communities located along the James Bay Coast of Ontario.  Approximately 4000 people were evacuated over the past few weeks and continue to host in the communities of Wawa, Timmins, Kapuskasing, Sault Ste Marie and Sudbury.  That is not uncommon, however a significant and aggressive wildland fire (Timmins ‘19) was reported earlier this week south of Timmins and it has grown aggressively and rapidly to 40,000 ha in a matter of days.   

Yesterday, government authorities issued evacuation orders to campgrounds and cottagers around Timmins.  The primary provincial Highway 101 East from Timmins to Wawa/SSM, Highway 144 South to Sudbury and Highway 655 North to Kapuskasing have all been closed.   

All affected municipal resources are at capacity and finite provincial resources have been deployed and being prioritized.  Officials have subsequently issued a Request for Assistance (RfA) and put the VEAC on standby for surge capacity.  

Inject #1, 09:20 (00:00h): VEAC request aid in response efforts. 

VEAC has been requested to assess and advise where they can provide support to alleviate pressure from the already engaged and strained provincial and contract aircraft working to support various emergency response efforts. A need of Overview of the RfA from the Province regarding COPA Flights and volunteer pilots needed. PEOC contacts ADERSIM EOC for AN-VEAC assistance. 

Expected Actions 

• Demonstrate a high-level explanation with an extensive detail on available COPA flights/ independent volunteer pilots.  

• Use database of trained volunteer pilots ready to be assigned. Use VPOIDs to continue updates. 

Inject #2 09:50 (+00:20h) Transportation of pet food supply. 

30 Minutes have passed since the assessment was requested. Now The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre has requested assistance for a request originating from EMO on behalf of Ontario SPCA. With so many evacuees from the Timmins area having sent pets to local shelters they are now running out of food supplies. To aid in resolving this Flight VEAC 1 is to move as much donated dry/bagged dog food as possible from North Bay to Timmins; there is 1500 lbs of dry bagged dog food ready to go (50 x 30 lbs bags). 

Expected decisions actions 

1. Based off of database an assessment of which COPA membership have aircraft and pilots capable and willing to volunteer to carry out these flights.  

2. Examine course of action to be taken in order to deliver donated food within a realistic timeline. Create and list potential options of realistic timeline.  

3. provide instructions for how to access them. 

Inject #3 20:30 (+00:40h) Power Outages and Transportation Disruptions 

A full hour has passed, and Flight VEAC 1 has responded to the call for aiding in transportation of food supplies. Following this The Provincial Emergency Operations Centre has now requested two separate flights that are required to reunite members of two evacuated families separated during prior evacuations and currently residing in different host communities.  Additionally, a more urgent priority is to transport a CIRUS Drone team to aid in the response effort asap and a flight to fly a specialized part that an emergency team urgently needs asap in Moosonee. For Flight VEAC 2 is a father and 5-year-old son in Kapuskasing that Emergency Social Services has prioritized as needing to be reunited with their mother and other children being hosted in the community of Wawa. Flight VEAC 3 is a grandparent with limited mobility currently in Sudbury who needs to be reunited with her family and caregiver who are in SSM. Flight VEAC 4 is to assist with a CIRUS drone initial response deployment, who needs transport from Toronto to Timmins asap. Finally, Flight VEAC 5 is to fly a small (15 lbs) box that contains a very specialized part that was ordered to restore the water purification system in one of the northern communities.  

Expected Decisions and Actions 

• Based off of database an assessment of which COPA membership have aircraft and pilots capable and willing to volunteer to carry out these flights.  

• Examine course of action to be taken in order to deliver donated food within a realistic timeline. Create and list potential options of realistic timeline.