Knowing council’s responsibilities during a disaster was the focus of an emergency refresher session for Delburne council during their Apr. 12 meeting.
Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) field officers Bruce Mackenzie and Craig Sallows, along with Dan Marsellus, Director of Emergency Management walked council through procedures to follow in the event of an emergency.
The visit precedes Emergency Preparedness Week, which falls in the first week of May. Marsellus has a mock emergency exercise planned for that week to test the readiness of council, staff and first responders in Delburne and surrounding areas.
Mackenzie affirmed the need for council to have procedures and people in place and trained prior to any actual event occurring.
Saving lives is the top priority in a crisis, followed by the protection of property and environment, then protection of economy stated Mackenzie.
As well, Mackenzie emphasized the need for all levels of a community to know their roles from families maintaining emergency kits to council knowing when and how to declare a state of emergency.
The provincial and federal governments both have agencies and resources at the ready to assist communities but must receive a request from the municipal level for that assistance. The responsibility to make that request falls on council.
More information about how to prepare for an emergency is available on AEMA’s website.
Board maintains member
John Perry will remain on the Delburne Library board after council approved an extension for another three years following a request from the board chair Peter Wagstaff.