Safety first

Sharon McLeay
Times Contributor

 

Standard, Hussar, Rockyford and Wheatland County are hoping an Alberta Community Partnership grant of $160,000 will be granted for emergency management planning.
“Emergency management is a perishable skill set that needs to be exercised regularly by municipalities,” said Judy Unsworth, Wheatland County fire and emergency services manager.
Each region in the county has its own unique challenges and the grant would allow the evaluation of existing services, new plans to develop and give direction to first responders, municipal administration and councils in the event of an emergency.
It is also hoped that an ICS Canada-certified curriculum could be established for training programs that will be used by emergency responders in the county.
Wheatland County administration staff took part in a mock tabletop emergency response exercise on Oct. 26, with debriefing done on Oct. 28. Forty participants were in the county’s emergency command centre and council chambers. These exercises pinpoint strengths and weaknesses in emergency response plans, prior to an actual event. Participants said they gained some valuable insights from the exercise. There was a suggestion to ask the Town of Strathmore to participate in future events, as many emergencies – such as the closure of Hwy 1 during winter storms – require coordinated efforts from all areas affected.
An upcoming disaster and emergency management stakeholder summit will be held in Edmonton on Nov. 21, 2016, and Wheatland County staff will attend.