Director of emergency management Merrick Brown tells a Friday morning press conference what actions are being taken by the City of Medicine Hat to adhere to Alberta Health directives public and also avoid a potential staffing shortage during efforts to contain the coronavirus.--NEWS PHOTO COLLIN GALLANT
cgallant@medicinehatnews.com@CollinGallant
The City of Medicine Hat has enacted its emergency management plan – measures to continue providing essential services – but not a state of emergency or measures beyond those Alberta Health recommends to tackle the spread of the coronavirus.
The city will also keep its public facilities open, but continue to monitor health directives in the case of pools, arenas and the Esplanade, even though some major events have been cancelled.
On Thursday, Alberta Health advised that all gatherings of more than 250 people be suspended to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. That doesn’t yet mean that public facilities will be closed, said administrators who that night set up the emergency command centre.
“This is out of an abundance of caution as to what’s been occurring across the province, and some of the announcements from Alberta Health last night,” said Merrick Brown, the city’s emergency management director.
“This allows us to move through a methodical co-ordination process for city operations and city events.”
Internal to city operations, the goal is to limit the illness in the city workforce, which is required for essential services, such as police and fire response, utility delivery and transit service.
The city has created a page on its website for residents to be updated on municipal efforts as well as provide links to health authority advice.
Brown and Mayor Ted Clugston stressed that Hatters should follow the directions laid out by Alberta Health.
Clugston expressed his confidence in the city’s contingency planning and Hatters’ ability to remain vigilant.
“I’d encourage the residents of Medicine Hat and everyone to be calm but cautious, and considerate and compassionate to their fellow citizens,” said Clugston. “I have the ultimate confidence in city employees and the plans that we have, and our procedures going forward.
“The City of Medicine Hat has some of the best (emergency management) plans and have proven in the past that we can get through incidents like this. And we will get through this one.”
Internally, there is no current order to work remotely if possible, said Brown, but employees who have travelled outside Canada recently are to remain home for the time being. AHS guidelines for hygiene and interpersonal are being stressed.
The effect of human resources actions will be little on the public, said Brown, though operations could be altered as the provincially-led health response evolves.
That doesn’t yet call for facilities to be closed, but there are some immediate changes that do not yet require general attendance at pools and fitness facilities to be limited, said Brown.
Organizers cancelled a country music concert and a ballet performance, both set for Friday night at the Canalta Centre and Esplanade, respectively. The Western Hockey League has suspended its season, including local games at the major arena. Hockey Alberta, governing minor hockey, effectively cancelled its season and ongoing provincial championships on Friday.
The Medicine Hat Public Library, which is an independent agency, also announced programming changes.
