A rainbow brightens the sky over the Re-entry Support Centre the evening before Jasper residents return to the town site.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
We hear the terms wildfire, evacuation, flooding, and tornado more often these days. Multiple communities across Alberta have faced hard times over the past 10 years, with the severity and frequency of these incidents on the rise. Despite the challenges, losses, and grief these events have caused, one thing remains clear: Albertans are a resilient people, willing and eager to pitch in and help each other.
Recently, I provided support to the Municipality of Jasper as they prepared to allow residents to return to their homes. My primary role was to lead the planning and initial operation of the Re-entry Support Centre, which would serve as the first point of contact for Jasper’s returning residents. It was a significant undertaking with many moving parts and personnel to coordinate within a limited timeline. Every individual involved was focused on one clear goal: to limit the re-traumatization of Jasperites upon their return home.
On the morning of Aug. 16, the first Jasperite arrived at the entrance of the Re-entry Support Centre. The experience of that day is difficult to describe but will always stay with me. It was a day of celebration, filled with every emotion you can think of. What stood out to me, however, was the resilience of Albertans and how we continue to support each other during these trying times.
The ability to efficiently respond to a community’s needs during the ever-changing landscape of a natural disaster is based on a foundation of meticulous planning. Here in Medicine Hat, we have our own Municipal Emergency Management Plan, which identifies potential incidents and outlines how we will respond, taking into consideration everything from heat waves and cold fronts to large-scale natural disasters that could require mass evacuations.
Community resilience takes many forms. Following the devastating fires of 2016 and the subsequent evacuation of Fort McMurray, the province formed five regional incident management teams to support communities across Alberta during times of crisis. The southern Alberta team is led by the City of Medicine Hat.
Since 2017, the city and the province, under the banner of the South Zone All Hazards Incident Management Team, have trained over 50 public service employees across southern Alberta. We have also been deployed to two provincial incidents – Brazeau County/Town of Drayton Valley in 2023 and the Municipality of Jasper this year.
The city recognizes the importance of emergency preparedness and is proud to lead this provincial initiative. With the 24/7/365 availability of the regional incident management teams, combined with the city’s robust emergency management program and highly trained internal responders, you can rest assured that you are in good hands.
The Municipal Emergency Management plan can be viewed on the city’s website at https://www.medicinehat.ca/MEMP/
Merrick Brown is the director of emergency management for the City of Medicine Hat
