C4i and Saskatchewan Polytechnic enter relationship

Image credit: Saskatchewan Polytechnic
Image credit: Saskatchewan Polytechnic


On December 9, 2015 C4i and Saskatchewan Polytechnic signed a Letter of Intent. C4i will be providing software to Sask Polytech to train leaders and emergency managers to prepare for disasters.

C4i is a training and technology company that specializes in the design and employment of simulation, collaboration and planning software. Shorthand for Emergency Disaster Management Simulation, EDMSIM allows teams to improve communications, validate contingency plans and procedures, and improve outcomes in an environment that realistically simulates a natural or human-made disaster. Developed by C4i consultants, the simulation technology is an interactive, electronic tool for emergency response and crisis rehearsal training.

"This relationship will provide Saskatchewan Polytechnic with a vital training resource for business, industry, municipalities, health care and emergency responders across Western Canada," says Dr. Larry Rosia, Saskatchewan Polytechnic president and CEO. "It's ideally aligned with the hands-on, applied training opportunities we're proud to offer at Sask Polytech. We're excited about this new agreement and we look forward to leveraging their innovative, life-saving technology."

EDMSIM exercises are scalable, allowing training to be conducted at local, regional and national levels. Designed specifically for emergency management staff, emergency operations centres and civil leadership, any type of disaster and response can be modelled. This advanced technology is the first of its kind in the world. Until recently, emergency preparedness training was largely comprised of paper-based tabletop exercises that did not provide adequate feedback and experiential learning.

"This is our first agreement with a post-secondary institution and Sask Polytech is the perfect fit," says Bruce Gilkes, C4i's president and founder. "We developed EDMSIM in 2005 and it's used by the US Army, US National Guard, NATO, Centres for Disease Control, as well as a number of states and municipalities for training. This will be its first use in an applied academic environment within Canada."

Gilkes graduated with a diploma in Civil Engineering Technology from Sask Polytech (then SIAST) in 1988. He spent several years in the military before launching C4i 13 years ago. His Calgary-based company has since grown to 30 employees. Gilkes credits his business success to the engineering skills provided by his Sask Polytech education, combined with the perseverance and resilience that comes from working in the military.

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