Inclusive emergency management planning and response
About Good Neighbour
Good Neighbour Consulting began when our founder identified a need for more grass-roots and trauma-informed emergency management planning. Municipalities and government do good work, but are restricted by politics and mandates and often do not consult directly with affected persons.
We have a simple mission: to help ensure our most vulnerable citizens are not left out of disaster and emergency planning, preparedness, response, and recovery.
Some projects we have recently completed:
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Wrote and delivered a comprehensive emergency action plan for an Alberta senior’s (multi-unit) residence
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Advised on logistics and public safety mitigation for several community-based events in Calgary, Alberta
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Facilitated planning sessions for a large-scale disaster response training exercise in Alberta
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Facilitated business continuity table-top exercises for a mid-sized organization in Alberta
Guiding Values
Inclusion – working with all so no one is left behind
Trauma-Informed – ensuring documentation, meetings, trainings, and outcomes are
non-harmful and fully support all persons
Advocacy – providing a voice, and a platform, for communities often disregarded
Professionalism and Commitment– approaching every contract, group, and community with intention, an open mind, respect, and a strong work ethic
Continuous Learning – evolving and growing as a business, an ally, and as citizens
Climate and Environmental Consideration – doing work in a way that does not further damage our earth and natural lands
What is a vulnerable population?
There is no agreed-upon definition of “vulnerability” within the emergency management field. Good Neighbour considers a vulnerable population to be any group of persons who could be at increased risk due to, and/or disproportionately impacted by, a disaster or emergency event. People generally considered vulnerable are children and the elderly, persons with disabilities, racialized persons, 2SLGBTQIA+ persons, low income households, individuals with mental health or addictions issues, persons experiencing homelessness, migrant workers and recent incomers, and tourists.*
* Note that this is not a comprehensive list, nor does being on this list mean that a population is intrinsically unsafe. There are a large variety of factors that determine vulnerability, including the hazard being faced.
Trina-Rae (TR) Cuff is an emergency management professional with 23 years in the field. She holds a Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management with a focus on social vulnerability theory, studying why poor and marginalized populations are disproportionately impacted by disaster and emergency events. She received a major scholarship award for her research on evacuation science, and wrote her thesis on homelessness within emergency management contexts.
TR has an interest in business continuity, as the services offered by non-profits and community organizations are a form of critical infrastructure to those who rely on them. She is trained to ICS400 and holds many certificates in a range of emergency management topics.
Trina-Rae worked for the City of Calgary for 22 years, in a variety of emergency management, public safety, critical incident response, and major event management roles. TR has over 1200 hours experience in emergency operations centres, tactical operation centres, and mobile command centres. Some of the events she has worked on include the 2013 Calgary flood, the 2016 Fort McMurray wildfire, the 2026 Calgary Olympic Bid, COVID-19, and a large number of events such as the Calgary Stampede and Stampede Parade and Canada Day celebrations.
TR is an advocate for vulnerable and marginalized populations beyond emergency management. She is passionate about social and environmental justice, and is active in the arts and culture community in Calgary.