In an exclusive interview with CanadianSME Small Business Magazine, Bill Neadles, Peter Rotolo, and Candy Lipton, the visionary leaders behind ETIPS, share how their EPIC platform is transforming the landscape of emergency preparedness and response for organizations of all sizes. With decades of expertise in emergency management, public safety, and healthcare, the trio has developed a cutting-edge, cloud-based solution that ensures seamless planning, training, and execution during crises. From improving efficiency and safety to delivering measurable ROI, their insights offer invaluable lessons for businesses seeking to protect their people, property, and operations in today’s unpredictable world.
Bill Neadles
Bill Neadles is a highly respected emergency management expert with over 40 years of experience in public safety, security, and crisis response. A Level 4 provincially accredited IMS trainer, he teaches at George Brown College and has played a crucial role in implementing the Incident Management System (IMS) in one of Canada’s largest police forces. As a former Superintendent of the Toronto Police Service, Bill led specialized units, including Public Order, Mounted Police, HUSAR, and CBRNE teams. He has been a key figure in responding to major incidents like the 2008 Sunrise Propane Explosion, 2010 G8/G20 Summit, and 2015 Pan Am Games. Recognized with the Governor General’s Exemplary Service Medal and the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal, Bill continues to enhance emergency management at municipal, provincial, and federal levels.
Peter Rotolo
With a distinguished 47-year career in emergency medical services, Peter Rotolo retired as a Commander with Toronto Paramedic Services, where he played a pivotal role in developing Ontario’s Incident Management System (IMS). As an Incident Commander, he led emergency response efforts for major crises, including the Air France crash, Yonge Street Van Attack, and Danforth Shooting. He has also contributed to emergency planning for high-profile events such as the G8/G20 Summit and Papal Visit. A published author and sought-after speaker, Peter has received numerous accolades, including the Governor General’s Exemplary Service Medal, for his lifelong commitment to emergency response and pre-hospital care.
Candy Lipton
A seasoned healthcare executive with 40 years of operational experience, Candy Lipton has led emergency management initiatives across public health, hospitals, long-term care, and national non-profits like Canadian Blood Services and Diabetes Canada. She has been instrumental in integrating the Incident Management System (IMS)/Incident Command System (ICS) into healthcare organizations, ensuring preparedness for crises. With expertise in business operations, strategic transformation, and emergency planning, Candy holds a Master’s in Leadership (MA) from Royal Roads University, is a Registered Nurse (BScN, RN), and has earned the Canadian Health Executive (CHE) certificate. Her leadership extends to various boards, including St. John Ambulance and Centennial College Cabinet.
Why is having an Emergency Management Plan critical, and what risks can arise from relying solely on calling 911?
In today’s unpredictable world, having a comprehensive emergency preparedness plan (known as Emergency Management Plan (EMP)) is paramount for any organization. Incidents and emergencies can strike any time, posing significant risks to life, property, and reputation.
An EMP ensures everyone knows how to respond quickly and effectively, minimizing harm. Emergency TIPS’ (ETIPS) electronic platform, EPIC (Emergency Plan & Integrated Course), provides all the tools your organization needs to develop a thorough, customizable plan. From policies and procedures to checklists, forms, resource documents, and communication tools, EPIC simplifies building a robust emergency management strategy.
Effective emergency management planning mitigates risks and preserves public trust during incidents. While calling 911 is crucial to address immediate life safety concerns, First Responders often move on to assist others. This underscores the need to have well-structured plans to manage incidents internally, ensuring staff understand their roles—who does what, when, where, why, and how.
That’s where our EPIC platform comes in—a powerful online, customizable solution designed to meet the unique needs of your organization, equipping you to handle emergencies with confidence.
What sets your EPIC platform apart from traditional emergency preparedness plans, and how does it address modern-day challenges?
EPIC provides templated, customizable online Emergency Management Plans aligned with the Provincial Incident Management System (IMS) and the Incident Command System (ICS), offering a structured approach to managing chaos.
The EPIC platform is designed for simplicity and ease of use, featuring a step-by-step walkthrough to guide users in creating and developing comprehensive emergency management plans. It also includes a training course to onboard new staff. Additionally, the platform seamlessly integrates existing documents, such as floor plans and Fire Safety Plans.
Key Features of the EPIC Platform:
- Cloud-Hosted
- Automatic Version Control
- 24/7/365 Accessibility
- Role-Specific Access
- Integrated Communication Tools
- Update Notifications
Practicing Emergency Preparedness
Tabletop exercises and drills are crucial for effective emergency management. The ETIPS team can conduct these exercises upon request. The EPIC platform securely stores all related documents, ensuring quick and easy retrieval during exercises, drills, incidents, or emergencies.
In addition, the ETIPS team offers IMS/ICS training, evaluates existing emergency management plans, and helps organizations enhance their readiness based on specific needs.
How does ETIPS ensure seamless transitions during staff turnover or changes in business operations?
The EPIC platform includes staff training modules designed to onboard new employees and ensure preparedness. These modules feature an adult learning course that covers all aspects of your Emergency Management Plan.
Course Overview:
The training consists of 15 lessons that include:
- Key Information: Insights about your organization’s EMP, along with interactive exercises and news stories, to help deepen understanding and apply concepts to real-world situations.
- EMP Documents: Easily accessible materials within each lesson, as well as a “Materials” tab for quick reference.
- Check Your Understanding: End-of-lesson questions to review and apply the material in realistic scenarios.
Additional Features:
- Role and Responsibility Assignments: The EPIC platform provides clear role definitions to eliminate confusion during emergencies.
- Practice and Improvement: Tabletop exercises and drills enable organizations to rehearse and refine their response strategies.
- Document Storage: The platform securely stores all documents for effortless retrieval.
Adaptability for Organizational Growth:
As organizations evolve, their EMPs can be updated organization-wide or tailored to specific sites. The EPIC platform allows modifications at any time while maintaining access to previous versions, ensuring continuity and flexibility.
What measurable benefits have organizations experienced from using Emergency Management Plans, such as EPIC, regarding efficiency, safety, and return on investment (ROI)?
One organization experienced a carbon monoxide leak in one building, resulting in several staff being hospitalized. Over 300 elderly residents and 300 staff were evacuated during the middle of winter. Despite having an emergency preparedness plan, the situation quickly became chaotic and overwhelming.
After calling 911, First Responders ensured everyone’s safety and facilitated relocation. However, once immediate life safety was addressed, the responders left, leaving the organization to manage the ongoing crisis. It became evident that the existing plan lacked the necessary structure to define roles, responsibilities, and communication during such emergencies.
The implementation of a comprehensive Emergency Management Plan transformed their approach to emergency preparedness. Since adopting this system, incidents such as power outages, floods, fires, and evacuations have been managed with greater efficiency and control. Staff are now able to respond swiftly, minimize disruptions, and restore operations to “business as usual” much faster. Compared to industry peers who have not adopted a similar system, the return on investment has proven to be significant.
How do you envision ETIPS transforming emergency preparedness and response for organizations of all sizes?
Most organizations today rely on emergency management plans (EMPs) that exist as binders or word documents—collecting dust on a shelf until a crisis hits. Often, years go by before anyone realizes the plan is outdated, leading to a time-consuming and costly overhaul that can take months.
Our solution changes the game. The EPIC EMP brings your emergency management plan into the digital age. With a templated, customizable platform featuring version control, automatic reminders, onboarding course for new staff, ease of communication during an incident, and much more. Staying prepared has never been easier! As your organization evolves, updating your EMP becomes seamless—saving time, reducing risk, and delivering measurable ROI.
