Emergency management volunteers sought

Janet Kanters
Times Editor

Local emergency response groups and the Canadian Red Cross are actively seeking volunteers to assist with critical emergency responses in Strathmore and Wheatland County.
On Feb. 6, a Canadian Red Cross emergency management volunteer information session is being held in Strathmore.
According to Jag Dhawan, emergency management coordinator with the Canadian Red Cross, emergency services want to step up the recruitment of trained volunteers.
“The Town of Strathmore as well as a representative from Wheatland County and Canadian Red Cross came together around the table to brainstorm, that in the event of a large-scale disaster, an example would be a snowstorm blocking the highway where services cannot be deployed from outside the region, how we can focus on building trained volunteer capacity within the region,” said Dhawan.
The Canadian Red Cross along with local authorities work together to train and guide volunteers on how to safely provide vital services to people affected by an emergency or a disaster – either large or small.
“There are many community members who want to step up; they have time, they have the desire. This information session is an opportunity to give them that path, and the resources and tools,” said Dhawan.
In an emergency, the Canadian Red Cross directly collaborates with the municipal emergency agencies, such as the fire department which is the agency first on the scene. “They (fire department) know what families are going through and they call the Red Cross,” noted Dhawan. “From there, we activate our trained volunteers in that region so they can go to the scene and help families.”
In the Strathmore area, “we are formally working with Strathmore Victim Services, the fire department and Family and Community Support Services – all the key partners are at the table working directly hand in hand with the Canadian Red Cross to help build that capacity.”
The purpose of the information session on Feb. 6 is to inform the community on how community members can be trained as emergency volunteers. The training is free.
Dhawan said the Red Cross currently has four trained volunteers in Strathmore. “We do have the foundation in Strathmore,” he noted. “These leadership volunteers are joining me at the info session to further encourage the community and further recruitment for emergency volunteers.”
At the information session, Dhawan said participants will be walked through the entire process in terms of time commitment, what training is involved and how long it takes, and the requirements needed.
The Canadian Red Cross emergency management volunteer information session goes Feb. 6 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Strathmore Fire Department, 721 Lakeside Blvd. For more information and to register for the free session, email jag.dhawan@redcross.ca.