Residents attend a Municipal Mingle in-person public engagement event at the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre on Thursday evening.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
Residents who attended Thursday evening’s Municipal Mingle in-person public engagement event were able to connect one on one with city staff representing several departments, to provide feedback and learn about projects and initiatives the city is involved with.
The three-hour mingle was moved from Towne Square into the main lobby of the Esplanade Arts & Heritage Centre due to rain and cooler weather.
The city says these public engagements provide residents an “open-house format” for an informal interaction with representatives from several departments including community development, economic development, municipal works, local first responders and more.
High-tech fire training equipment
Local firefighters regularly undergo daily training during their shifts and utilize leading edge technology to prepare for dangerous situations they could face in an emergency.
Some of that high-tech equipment allows firefighters to train in traditional ways, without the typical risk of exposure to harmful carcinogens.
The digital attack fire training system, on display during the Municipal Mingle, looks like a giant LITE BRITE toy and is used to simulate a live flame.
Firefighters are able to use real hoses with water to douse the digital flame that is projected, or firefighters can train using a digital nozzle that simulates the feeling of real fire hose.
“It replaces doing live fire training so we reduce the exposure to firefighters with the carcinogens, chemicals and combustion,” explains assistant deputy chief Garnet Decker. “It’s faster, we can do more training with it.”
The training system can also be adjusted in difficulty and its portable design allows it to be utilized in small indoor spaces or large training scenarios. The system is paired up with a smoke generator in training scenarios and can be used to simulate multiple fire scenarios, including flare-ups and multiple fire locations.
Name a snowplow
A warm-hearted initiative throughout Canada where city snow plows are named to enhance community engagement and highlight the work of crews who keep roads clear during winter months is coming to Medicine Hat.
The city is asking the public to submit their most creative and whimsical names as they look to rename their fleet of 11 sanders and 4 graders.
Staff say some of the inspiration comes from a 2021 campaign in Calgary that invited students to name city snow plows. Names chosen include Plowabunga, Abominable Snow Plow, Darth Blader, Melton John, Princess Sleighia and Sled Zepplin.
“It makes it so the community can be involved in our operational activities that aren’t so fun to do,” jokes Jamie Motz, municipal works operations superintendent.”Nobody wants to have a big snowstorm that causes us to go out, but it happens, so we might as well make the best of it.”
The Name the Fleet campaign will be accepting suggestions until Oct. 11 at 5 p.m. Submissions can be made by all residents online at shapeyourcity.medicinehat.ca.
The top submissions will be picked in house and then the final names will be posted online for the community’s vote.
Names will be displayed with signage on each snowplow over the winter season.
