The Mountain View County policies and priorities committee has been given an update on an emergency management pilot project recently conducted in the municipality.
The review came during the committee’s recent regularly scheduled meeting in council chambers.
Shell Clarke, with Mutual Aid Alberta (MAA), appeared before the committee as a delegation, outlining the results of the emergency resource portal pilot project and discussing possible next steps.
MAA is a not-for-profit society established in 2014. The society’s project included Mountain View County resident surveys.
Using a slide and video presentation, Clarke explained that objectives of the project were as follows:
- Build a centralized, consistent, cost-effective and usable data resource portal in a particular geographic area to enable effective emergency response management of all hazards.
- Identify and remedy any deficiencies to ensure a comprehensive tool.
- Develop a best practice resident visitation/data collection program.
- Demonstrate cost-savings for stakeholders through collaboration.
- Ensure security of private information.
- Lay the foundation for broader implementation across Alberta.
The pilot project saw residents asked a number of questions, including the following:
- Do we have your consent to share your emergency contact information with energy companies whose operations may impact your safety?
- How would you like us to update you in the future, by phone, email, visit, or post?
- Do you know how long you have been in an emergency zone?
- Do you understand the hazards of oil and gas?
- Do you understand the hazards of petroleum products and what to do in the unlikely event of an emergency with these products?
- How many companies have gathered your emergency contact information in the last two years?
- Would you prefer one company to gather your contact information for all the oil and gas companies operating in your area?
- Are you familiar with Click-before-you-Dig?
Results of the resident survey include the following:
- Ninety per cent of residents gave MAA consent to share their information with energy companies whose assets may impact them.
- Ninety-six per cent of residents would like one organization to collect their data.
- Ninety-four per cent of residents prefer updates by phone.
- Fifteen per cent of residents have not heard from energy companies, some for two years or more.
“Mutual Aid Alberta has completed the Mountain View pilot project, thereby confirming the need for and benefits of the emergency resource portal,” said Clarke.
“Mutual Aid Alberta sees the emergency resource portal as a potential game-changer for effective emergency management and response going forward.”
Committee members passed a motion to have the county’s emergency management committee review the pilot project findings and report back to the committee at a future meeting.
Meanwhile, county council has approved the refunding of $555 to the Sundre Volunteer Search and Rescue Society (SVSAR).
The funds were the development application fee for a building project being undertaken by the society.
The project involves an addition to the existing hangar at the Sundre Airport owned by the society.
“SVSAR has been in existence in the county for over 20 years and has always been prepared to assist the county in any emergency needs,” society president Roger Tetreault said in a letter to the county. “We have recently applied to expand our building at the Sundre Airport as we are slowly outgrowing our current facility. We have always appreciated the county’s support and assistance to our organization and hope that you will consider this request as further support to our services.”
