Ponoka has become one of the first counties to join forces with Emergency Management Logistics Canada (EMLCanada).
EMLCanada is Canada’s first and only emergency management logistics platform that connects emergency management organizations (EMOs) directly with product and service vendors across Canada to improve emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
“The new Emergency Management System (EML) is a great asset at the time of an emergency to ensure access to vendors and supplies when required,” said protective services coordinator Donna Noble. “It allows collaboration with other municipalities in training and experience. Vendor information is at your fingertips without worrying if contact information is current.”
Founded by Scott Cameron and Pauline Mousseau in July 2020, EMLCanada is about enhancing emergency preparation, response, and recovery. The open platform allows stakeholders to easily find vendors and services, share information, build relationships and enhance emergency response while saving critical time and money.
“EMLCanada has created a national logistics database to make it easy for emergency management organizations to find what they need, when they need it,” said Cameron.
EMLCanada provides EMOs with centralized logistics tools and access to local product and service vendors that can fill a critical need during emergencies. EMLCanada also boosts Canadian vendors by profiling local businesses, in regional and national markets, while creating a community of practice that convenes the emergency management sector all in one place.
Cameron’s introduction to emergency management was during the Pine Lake Tornado in 2000, while working as the executive director of United Way of central Alberta.
He coordinated a local committee to ensure a fair and equitable distribution process after realizing that allocating local donations and assets was an issue. Since then, he has been deployed to a number of disaster situations, including local floods and toxic spills and wildfires in northern Alberta.
Ponoka County is not only part of an Emergency Management Partnership with the Town of Ponoka, Town of Rimbey and Summer Village of Parkland Beach, but also has representation on the Central Region All Hazard Incident Management Team (CRAHIMT) in logistics.
With this connection, collaboration can be coordinated with other municipalities involved with EML.
“As with most regional emergency management partnerships, the smaller municipalities are normally unable to support an incident on their own and support will come from other agencies within the partnership, mutual aid partners or CRAHIMT,” she said.
She added that the connection to the EML system could be utilized regionally in the partnership with the smaller municipalities encompassed under the partnership and was one of the reasons they decided to get on board.
“Steps to include all the agency partners is ongoing at forthcoming meetings.”