As we close out 2024, I’d like to thank all our stakeholders – Plan members, responders, industry partners and staff – for your continued commitment to ERAC during our 38th year in operation.  

2024 has been another successful year for ERAC, as we strive to deliver the highest quality emergency preparedness and response support services in the country. This year’s accomplishments include:

• Responding to 84 Tier 1 and Tier 2 dangerous goods incidents,
• Completing 30 Regional Training and Assessment events,
• Facilitating 19 full-scale Environmental Emergency (E2) response exercises,
• Introducing compressed hydrogen and methane to our suite of ERAP services,
• Providing specialized flammable liquids firefighting training to over a half-dozen emergency response teams,     
• Holding our highly successful Dangerous Goods Emergency Management conference in Calgary, and,
• Achieving a 98.4% satisfaction rating on our recently completed Plan Member Survey.

As a not-for-profit organization funded by our members, our sole objective is to deliver safe, timely and effective dangerous goods emergency response services and training on behalf of our over 300 Plan members. I am pleased to report that, despite dealing with the same inflationary pressures most companies currently face, we continue to deliver the high level of support and service our members expect, while maintaining our administration costs at a modest 17%.

As I look forward to what 2025 holds, I am proud of the unique, collaborative relationships we have with our Plan members, responder teams, industry partners and regulators. They are a significant reason for our continued success as an organization. Thanks again for your continued support and commitment to ERAC.

Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas and all the best in the new year. 

Spencer Buckland
President

This fall, ERAC worked with a Calgary-based design firm on the development of a simple, versatile, font-based ERAC logo that can be used on occasions in mediums where our regular logo may not work well. Plan members and responders can expect to see the new logo on selected promotional items in early 2025. For now, here is a sneak peek at our new logo.

Rob Barrow is the owner of Eco-Pro Services Inc., a member of the ERAC Board of Directors, and for the past five years, an ERAC Remedial Measures Advisor (RMA).

As an ERAC RMA, Rob responds to liquified petroleum gas (LPG) incidents, accidents and releases and ensures that proper processes are followed in the care and transfer of dangerous goods, and that people, property and environment are protected.

This year, Rob has responded to two Alberta-related Tier 2 incidents on behalf of ERAC Plan members, including a serious multi-vehicle accident in March that resulted in two fatalities, one punctured and burning Butane tank and a second damaged and leaking tank. Working in cooperation with the RCMP, local fire department and Keyera LPG response team, the scene was secured, flames extinguished, and residue product safely removed from the damaged container tanks (via flaring and Nitrogen injection). With all safety concerns addressed, tow truck operators were able to safely clear the accident scene and the highway was reopened.       

Incidents like these call for experienced, competent responders to safely assess and address the situation. ERAC thanks Rob for his over 25-year commitment to the propane industry, our organization and public safety.

ERAC has developed its own versions of the Incident Command System (ICS) 100 and 200 courses to support our responders in meeting the basics of ICS. These two internal adaptations are intended to meet the requirement for ERAC responders who respond to transportation (rail & road) incidents involving liquefied petroleum gases and flammable liquids.

ERAC’s ICS 100 and 200 courses are available for free to Canadian-based first responders (firefighters, police, EMS) and our Plan members and their employees.

Learn more about our ICS courses.