The city of Steinbach has been recognized for demonstrating excellence in developing and maintaining its emergency preparedness program.

Manitoba Community Emergency Preparedness Awards are being handed to Steinbach, the Town of Snow Lake and the Rural Municipality of East St. Paul.

"The Manitoba government is pleased to present these awards in partnership with the Association of Manitoba Municipalities to recognize our most prepared communities," says Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen. "These communities have demonstrated excellence in developing and maintaining their emergency preparedness programs. We applaud the efforts of the emergency management teams in these municipalities who, with the support of elected leaders, clearly understand the importance of reducing the risk of disaster impacts on their communities through effective emergency preparedness."

Steinbach Emergency Coordinator Denis Vassart says this award is a testament to the work of the city in being prepared. He says it is based on things like their Storm Ready team, Steinbach Alert Now as well as their Emergency Operations Centre team.

"For residents it should mean that we have a plan that is in place," says Vassart. "Our community and our elected officials are aware of what's going on in our community and are prepared for disaster."

Vassart says Steinbach and Hanover have had a joint emergency plan for many years. But he says it was after the terrorist attacks in September, 2001 that the federal government mandated these plans. Vassart took over in 2004 and Steinbach's plan was approved by the province one year later.

Vassart says their plan provides a good starting point in event of an emergency.

"We will continue to make changes to the plan, to try and improve it," he says. "We'll run exercises on the various things in our plan and try and find things that need to be tweaked and changed and make those changes in it."