Innisfail and Penhold firefighters on standby to help Fort McMurray

Innisfail and Penhold fire departments are on standby ready to immediately dispatch firefighters to Fort McMurray to help control the raging wildfire that has already consumed 10,000 hectares of land, destroyed or damaged 1,600 structures and forced the evacuation of its 88,000 residents.

In the meantime, four Didsbury firefighters and seven from Olds have gone to Fort McMurray to help control the blaze.

Innisfail fire chief Dean Clark said he consulted with Helen Dietz, the town's chief administrative officer, and has been in contact with the provincial operations centre that is managing the resources needed for the fire, and what is now needed.

"Currently at this time they have all the resources that they require and what they may need in the next few days is manpower to change up their ground crews up there," said Clark, adding he talked to operations centre officials about sending a truck but it wasn't needed. He noted it was possible, if conditions in Fort McMurray continue to deteriorate, the province may declare a state of emergency.

He said the number of firefighters that can be sent to Fort McMurray depends on who is willing to go and if they are going to be safe when they go up. Clark said he put a call out to all members and received word that "five or six" are willing to go, including himself. "The other thing I have to weigh is that I have a community to protect," he said, noting the extreme dry and hot conditions that now exist in the town and area. "We have two wildfires burning out in Clearwater County right now as well. That is one thing we really have to weigh."

Jim Pendergast, the Town of Penhold's fire chief, said his department has completed an internal plan and he is ready to deploy firefighters to Fort McMurray at a "moment's notice.

"Right now what they (Office of the Fire Commissioner) is looking for is ladder trucks but ours won't be here until June. But we have resources standing by to help if they need to do a change of shifts," said Pendergast, adding there are at least "seven or eight" firefighters he can send if the call comes, which would be followed by another group of the same number. He added there may already be a couple of Penhold firefighters in Fort McMurray who work full-time at oilsands plants.

Meanwhile, the mayors of both Innisfail and Penhold are keeping a watchful eye on developments in the oilsands city, noting there are many locals who are employed there.

Innisfail Mayor Brian Spiller said it is possible the town could provide help beyond firefighting resources and manpower.

"It is unlimited at what the town can do as long as town council figures that is warranted," said Spiller. "If there is something really emergent we can call an emergency meeting of council to decide something like that.

"Administration will monitor it and if it gets to the point they figure we should be helping they will call all of council and we will have an emergency meeting and we (might) help out with equipment or financial help or whatever it may be but until that time we will just monitor," said Spiller, noting it is easier for closer communities, particularly Edmonton with its wealth of resources and manpower, to assist with relief efforts in Fort McMurray.

Penhold mayor Dennis Cooper said it is also possible his town council could hold an emergency meeting.

"If we had a direction and shown a need for it we would do that," said Cooper. "I think what we have to do is find out what the community and the area is requesting and at that point we can look at giving assistance as much as we can. The big thing right now is to hope and pray for people for what they are going through in this disaster."

In the meantime, fundraising efforts for Fort McMurray workers who live in Innisfail has already started. Kristen Spatz, who works at Fox & Hound and Mulligans Pizza, is planning a June 4 fundraiser at the sports bar.

For more information on the fundraiser, see the Facebook page under Fort Mac and Area Fire Fundraiser.

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