Our Emergency Management Experience

Our Approach

We offer a comprehensive consulting service that is tailor-made for you. We help identify gaps and opportunities, provide assistance in times of need, and help implement your strategic plans. That’s how we ensure your success.

Contact us today to find out how we can support your resiliency and put you on track for success and capability in the future.

Our Experience

Paul Edmonds, with over 30 years of experience, is a seasoned expert in risk management, emergency preparedness, and business continuity, with a career spanning UK and now Canada.

As the founder of Red Dragon Consulting, he has built a reputation for providing strategic, hands-on consulting services to various industries, including public sector organizations, private corporations, non-profits, and governments at different levels.

His approach integrates comprehensive risk assessments, disaster recovery planning, and crisis management strategies to ensure organizations remain resilient in the face of emergencies.

Paul’s work is characterized by a deep understanding of the unique risks faced by different sectors, allowing him to develop customized solutions that address specific operational vulnerabilities. He has advised on everything from natural disaster preparedness to security threats, emphasizing the importance of proactive planning and continuous improvement in resilience frameworks.

In addition to his consultancy work, Paul is a frequent speaker and educator on emergency, risk management, and business continuity topics. He has contributed to the development of industry standards and good practices, often collaborating with stakeholders at multiple levels to promote a culture of preparedness and adaptability.

His leadership at Red Dragon Consulting has positioned the firm as a trusted partner for organizations looking to safeguard their operations against disruptions, ensuring they can recover swiftly and continue delivering value in the aftermath of crises.

In late 2017, Paul decided to alter his career direction and move from the UK to Canada with his family. In British Columbia, he now continues to share his passion for helping others.

In 2018, Paul directed the Regional District of Okanagan-Similkameen (RDOS) response and recovery operations during the spring freshet. He also helped lead the RDOS Emergency Operations Centre response to the 2018 wildfires that scorched more than 40,000 hectares in the South Okanagan. RDOS 2018 Overview

In the latter half of 2018 and 2019, Paul provided peer review, strategic and flood response planning services for the Regional District Kootenay Boundary and the Boundary Flood Recovery team in Grand Forks, BC. Boundary Flood Recovery

Paul and his team now work on other projects with First Nations, Local Governments, Municipalities, Organizations and the Provincial Government such as; preparedness, response, risk management, communications, evacuation, and training.

Notable projects include after action reviews for White Rock Lake, McDougall Creek, Bush Creek East Wildfires, Chilcotin River Landslide, Regional Evacuation Plans for urban and isolated communities, provincial review of flood response and recovery for Fraser Basin Council, flood response planning, risk assessments and many more.

2018 to 2022 - Director with the BC Association of Emergency Managers since 2018, and voted 2021/22 Vice Chair.

2020 to 2023 - Board Member of the Emergency Preparedness and Business Continuity Conference of British Columbia.

2024 & current - Board Director with the Building Resilient Communities Conference (previous EPBC) of British Columbia.

Red Dragon Consulting is a provincially qualified contractor under Public Safety Canada and Emergency Management Climate Readiness, and it works with other qualified professionals to bring you expertise and solutions.

Paul Edmonds is an approved Incident Command System Canada Instructor ICS 100 to 300.

We acknowledge that we live, work and play within First Nation territories who have inalienable Aboriginal Title and Rights.

Read more about Paul's background on his LinkedIn profile on the Home Page.

Emergency Management and Resilience Services

Provincially Qualified Contractor for Emergency Management & Hazard Risk Vulnerability Assessment Facilitation (EMCR & PSC)

Instructor ICS Canada 100 to 300 (AHJ EMCR Recognized)

Strategic (Gold) Incident Commander: Association of Chief of Police Officers

On Shore Commander: Maritime Coastguard Agency (UK)

Strategic Government Liaison Officer: Government Agency

Strategic Incident Manager: Government Agency

Tactical (Silver) Government Liaison Officer: Police Force

Tactical Incident Manager: Police Force

Operational Incident Manager: Government Agency

Incident Command System Instructor

Incident Command System 100: Justice Institute British Columbia

Incident Command System 300: Justice Institute British Columbia

BSc Hons Tech University of Surrey UK

Member- Steering Committee EPIC- 3 years

Director & Vice-Chair- British Columbia Association of Emergency Managers - 4 years

Chair – Emergency Panning Society Wales – 2-year term UK

Chair – Police Force Risk Assessment (Civil and Counter-Terrorism) two terms – 6 years UK

National Member – Risk Assessment Group (Civil and Counter-Terrorism) – 6 years UK

National Representative for UK Incident Management Policy – 5 years

Lead Resilience Manager National inland spills and maritime events - 10 years

Chair - Energy Sector Multi-Agency Preparedness Group - 5 years UK

National Task Force Chair – Special Operations – 1-year term UK

National Member of UK Pipeline Security Group – 4 years UK

Regional Member Chemical Biological Radio-logical Nuclear Explosives Group - 15 years

Regional Member Tactical Coordination Group for all events impacting people, community, infrastructure, economics, and the environment - 15 years

Decorated for Outstanding Incident Management Service in 2012.

Comprehensive professional development including but not limited to: BSc Hons Tech; project management; risk assessment; emergency plan and exercise; trainer; incident mitigation measures; legislation and policy delivery; incident management development and architecture: business continuity consequence management; incident sector – civil emergency, flooding, contamination: air, land and water, forestry, industrial, economic, amenity, biodiversity, human and animal health, security sectors, and finance.

Why Red Dragon as a name?

Red Dragon or Y Ddraig Goch (in Welsh pronounced [ə ˈðraiɡ ˈɡoːχ])

The Welsh Red Dragon appears on the national flag of Wales. The red dragon itself has been associated with Wales for centuries, and as such, the flag is claimed to be the oldest national flag still in use. But why a dragon? The answer to that particular question is lost in history and myth.

It is considered that the Welsh kings of Aberffraw first adopted the dragon in the early fifth century to symbolize their power and authority after the Romans withdrew from Britain. Later, around the seventh century, it became known as the Red Dragon of Cadwaladr, king of Gwynedd from 655 to 682.

The oldest recorded use of the dragon to symbolize Wales is in the Historia Brittonum, written around AD 829, but it is popularly to have been the battle standard of many different ancient Celtic leaders.

The Historia Regum Britanniae, written between 1120 and 1129, links the dragon with the Arthurian legends, including Uther Pendragon the father of Arthur whose name translates as Dragon Head. Geoffrey’s account also tells of the prophecy of Myrddin (or Merlin) of a long fight between a red dragon and a white dragon, symbolising the historical struggle between the Welsh (red dragon) and the English (white dragon).

I know modern-day "King Arthur" is fictionalized but the inspiration comes from traditional oral stories that were recorded in 12th Century literature in the Mabinogion. The Mabinogion pronunciation: [mabɪˈnɔɡjɔn] are the earliest prose stories of the literature of Britain. The stories were compiled in Middle Welsh in the 12th–13th centuries from earlier oral traditions and still taught in schools across Wales.

Owain Glyndwr raised the dragon standard in 1400 as a symbol of revolt against the English Crown, the dragon was brought to England by the House of Tudor, the Welsh dynasty that held the English throne from 1485 to 1603. It signified their direct descent from one of the noble families of Wales.

The Red Dragon was used as a proud and ancient battle standard and it seems fitting to be used as the name for my business.

The Welsh have a rich cultural heritage in working with and respecting the people, land and the environment around them.

These values are incorporated into Red Dragon Consulting as having varied perspectives, sharing experience and knowledge, help generate better ideas to solve the complex problems of a changing—and increasingly diverse—world.

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Welsh evolved from the Celtic languages spoken by the ancient Britons, and probably arrived in Britain during the Bronze or Iron Age. It was originally spoken throughout what we know as England and Wales today at these early times. These celtic tribes were the first Britons before the Saxon invasions.

The English name, Wales, derives from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning 'foreigners', or in particular those foreigners who were under the influence of the Roman empire. The Welsh name for Wales is Cymru.

The Welsh language was restricted and removed by the enactment of the Act of Union in 1536 and in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries children were punished at school if using the Welsh language.

In 1993 the Welsh Language Act was passed to provide equal validity.

Having grown up in a picturesque corner of West Wales, surrounded by expansive sea views and rolling hills, I take great pride in my Welsh heritage. The Welsh language has always been a part of our home, and it is a tradition we cherish deeply.

Today, we are both grateful and honoured to call British Columbia our home

When we meet, there will always be a sprinkle of some welsh words in our conversations and maybe in my presentations!

Welsh moto: "Cofia Ddysgu Byw!" which means "Remember to learn how to live!"

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