Emergency preparedness, focus of training course

Kevin Laliberte
Smoky River Express

Municipalities in the greater Smoky River region are hoping a little bit of preventative medicine will go a long way in helping to prepare for a major emergency. That was the basic concept behind a recent three-day emergency management preparedness course in Falher presented by Emergency Management Alberta Agency – a branch of Alberta Municipal Affairs. The training is available to municipalities free of charge to assist in ensuring a state of readiness throughout Alberta in the event of a serious emergency situation. “The course is designed to cover all aspects of emergency management operations using interactive exercises to reinforce the principles taught,” says Ron Jarrett, one of two provincial government emergency management training officers overseeing the valuable hands-on training course. Training was held at the designated emergency operations centre (Municipal District of Smoky River office) and included the participation of police, fire and emergency medical services in addition to representatives from public works, municipal administration, disaster social services, health care and public health. “We had representation from the M.D., Falher, Donnelly and Girouxville in addition to personnel from Nampa, Peace Country Health Emergency Medical Services, Grimshaw, Peace River, East Prairie, High Prairie School Division and Saddle Hills County,” says Ian Fox, director of protective services for the Municipal District of Smoky River. Three mock emergency scenarios formed the basis of the training course, prompted realistic reactions to very real possibilities. “The primary thrust of the exercises centered around dangerous goods issues,” Fox tells the Express. “From anhydrous ammonia to hydrogen sulphide, chlorine, and sulphur dioxide, we have a potential for several different man-made incidents in addition to Mother Nature due to our geographic placement.” Managing effective response strategies following a major emergency or disaster situation is something which Jarrett says extends well beyond the parameters of routine emergency practices and procedures. They include everything from effectively dealing with death, injury and widespread property damage, to other concerns such as evacuation procedural protocol, the possibility of family members being separated from one another, and intense media interest. “In emergency situations municipalities are faced with the daunting task of managing and coordinating response efforts and must have a plan in place to handle the increased volume, urgency, scope and intensity of activities during this time,” says Jarrett, who acknowledges the critical importance of training exercises such as this throughout Alberta. “We view this type of training as being vital for all communities in Alberta.” The aim of emergency management training courses such like this is to provide essential information on Alberta’s emergency management framework and legislation. Each course is specifically designed to ensure everyone involved is given the opportunity to practice theories and concepts through individual and group activities during the training session. “This type of training provides a unique opportunity for people who would normally work together in a disaster situation to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to formally carry out their responsibilities as a member of an emergency site or emergency operations centre team,” Jarrett explains. “The main objective, of course, is to teach effective teamwork and communication.” All participants involved in the training course were evaluated at the end of the three days for their achievement of the course objectives based on their performance. Fox says another course will be held in February which focuses on emergency planning for elected officials. Anyone interested in volunteering with the regional disaster services agency, can call the fire hall at 837-2455 or Smoky River Family & Community Support Services at 837-2220.