Ontario Association of Emergency Managers

Register now for the OAEM 1-day virtual EOC Scribe Training course: February 21, 2025 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Don’t delay, spaces are limited for this high demand, multi-sector course! Visit www.oaem.ca for registration details.

On behalf of the OAEM board of directors and staff, we wish all our members from across Ontario a safe and happy holiday season. May this time be filled with happiness and good health. Thank you for your support and engagement throughout the year!

Thank you to our awesome corporate sponsors! We are proud of your support and generosity.

OAEM is thrilled to announce the new board who bring a wealth of leadership experience that will be invaluable in advancing our mission. The new 2024-2025 Board of Directors: Executive Officers Laura James, President/Chair Mario D’Angelo, Vice-President Scott Hill, Treasurer/Privacy Officer Directors at Large Kevin J. Bull Serenna Besserer  Oliver Moloney Jim Montgomery Earlier this week, I formally submitted my resignation on the Board effective December 31st, 2024. I wisely made this decision knowing it is in the best interests of the association to create successful pathways for fresh ideas, relationships and leadership talent. New pathways such as OAEM’s strategic framework, member committees, partnerships and innovative continuous professional development offerings will undoubtedly yield tremendous opportunities. We can all stand with confidence that OAEM has earned the respect, trust, reputation and distinction that it so rightly deserves. I thank the past and present Board for their volunteer commitment and to Lynn McLarnon, OAEM’s Corporate Manager, for her unwavering and exceptional association governance. Most importantly, I thank our members from across Ontario for your support, engagement and inspiration. Together, we are exceedingly proud knowing that Canada’s largest emergency management and business continuity professional association will continue to soar with unprecedented success, now and in the future. Please join me in welcoming the new Board! Paula-Marie Jannetta Immediate Past President (2021 – 2024)

Join OAEM's Emergency Management Spotlight Series webinar event for November 2024! This session will provide an overview of Ontario's Heavy Urban Search and Rescue Unit - Hazmat, CBRNE, USAR capable of responding to disaster situations at a city, provincial and national levels and the roles and responsibilities of this specialized unit. Welcome guest speakers Donald J. Kembel Operations Manager Emergency Response Unit Fire Investigation Services, Office of the Fire Marshal and Jordan Froese, Program Specialist Emergency Response Unit. When: November 20, 2024 from 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. Register now at www.oaem.ca

On Remembrance Day, the Ontario Association of Emergency Managers honors those who gave their lives to serve our country. We recognize the sacrifice and service of Canadian Veterans from all conflicts, as well as those who have made sacrifices on the home-front. We recognize and honour our current serving and veteran military members for their service. Canada will never forget the sacrifices of our Canadian Armed Forces, RCMP, Peace Officers, Merchant Navy, and Reserves. We also remember our military families— the mothers, fathers, sons and daughters of Canadian Veterans. November 11th is Remembrance Day in Canada, also known as Armistice Day and “poppy day” around the world. It’s our annual reminder of significant sacrifices made in the past that have led to current freedoms. It’s observed on this date to commemorate the end of World War I, which officially took place on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 1918. Lest we forget, Paula-Marie Jannetta, OAEM President

The OAEM Board was truly delighted to see our fellow members today at our 2024 Annual Meeting. After serving more than four years as an OAEM board volunteer on behalf of Canada’s largest emergency management and business continuity professional association, I would like to share three powerful messages and a call to action. First, our members are at the helm – driving the evolution, growth and future direction of our professional association. Secondly, we stand with confidence that OAEM has earned the respect, trust, recognition and distinction that it rightly deserves. And thirdly, the board is united in service. Our volunteer leaders focus on achieving exceptional strategic outcomes. We are accountable. We demonstrate our duties as Officers and Directors. And most of all, we work together to elevate member experience to unimaginable heights. Together, we are creating a meaningful space for industry professionals to come together. And, for the first time in OAEM’s history, we now have a strategic framework with clear and achievable goals. To achieve our goals, we need you to come forward and serve on the Board of Directors. We also need the hands on support of our members to contribute to a portfolio hub led by a board director. The board is creating new portfolios that align with and give life to our new strategic pillars. There is honour in volunteering – making a meaningful, professional contribution to advancing the field of emergency management in Ontario. Your leadership, your professional networks, experience and expertise matters. Now more than ever, is the time to make a commitment to Ontario's professional emergency management association. Be the change you want to see and connect with us at www.oaem.ca Paula-Marie Jannetta

OAEM Board of Directors – 2024 Call for Nominations OAEM through its Nominating Committee, is seeking nominees for its Board of Directors. This year, we have seven (7) vacancies on the Board to be filled for a two-year term. The election of the Board will take place at the virtual Annual Meeting on November 8, 2024. To download a Board Nomination Form and review the 2024 Annual Meeting Information Package, please visit our website at www.oaem.ca The deadline to submit a nomination form is October 21, 2024.

Thank you to our awesome corporate sponsors! We are proud of your involvement in supporting Ontario's diverse emergency management community and for your generosity. Paula-Marie Jannetta, OAEM President