The speed at which an emergency situation can go from bad to worse cannot be understated.
Ponoka County’s recent tabletop emergency training exercise highlighted just how important different agencies are when it comes to mobilizing for a disaster. The event brought about 40 people from different agencies including first responders, town and county planners and support agencies like FCSS and Red Cross.
It was an exercise to flex mental muscles and get a small taste of the mechanics that get put into place when emergencies start to unfold. This exercise showed that it takes a well-organized plan to mobilize an army of emergency responders, let alone having to deal with victims, pets, donations or food.
Managing emergencies means having food and water, supplies, a proper chain of command and the tools needed to communicate with those involved. And that’s just on the response side of things.
When a municipality declares a state of emergency it allows for a more fluid process and provides certain powers to enable that municipality to do its job. When it comes to emergencies, having resources is clearly vital to come out on top.
To some the idea of a state of emergency in Ponoka may seem far fetched, but the tornado — the smallest classification — that touched down last summer during the busiest week of the year should be enough to wake people up. It’s not about doom and gloom. Rather it’s about saying we have the tools needed to come out of a significant event with the potential for a positive outcome.
This exercise also highlighted just how important communication and networking is with the different agencies that get called into a scenario. This includes fire departments, municipalities, community agencies and the different associations within a community.
For instance, the Ponoka Stampede and Exhibition Association has a designated emergency co-ordinator. So does the town and county of Ponoka. So does FCSS. They all should know who that person is and who the potential second of command is. The list goes on as to who takes the call when things get hairy.
When the wildfires hit Fort McMurray, just over one year now, FCSS personnel across the province were notified they may need to mobilize. Emergency services received daily notifications as to the progress of the fire and emergency situation.
The world watched while Alberta’s emergency agencies took the call, and others prepared if they were called out.
Alberta has seen several major events in recent years; the Slave Lake fire in 2011, the floods in 2013 and then last year’s wildfire. This province has seen its fair share of disasters and while residents would prefer to have a plan that is never needed, history has shown that is not the case.
Personal readiness cannot be understated either. One of the recommendations that came out of the table top exercise was to have a 72-hour plan of readiness.
We need to ask ourselves if we have that plan at the ready. Do we have extra clothes? What happens to our pets? Is there food and an exit strategy in place?
In an effort of readiness and planning, Ponoka FCSS is hosting an Incident Command System 100 course free of charge. It is an introduction and foundation for dealing with emergency incidents. FCSS has indicated that if there is enough interest, a second class will be hosted.
If you’re a person who likes to volunteer and be involved or you want a leg up when things go sideways, then this may just be the right class.
The truth is emergencies happen at any time of the day and being prepared may be just the thing that gives that edge to get people out safely.