Saskatchewan Fire Commissioner Duane McKay talks about the need to have an emergency kit at the Emergency Preparedness Event. (Nikita Ganovicheff/meadowlakeNOW)

By Nikita Ganovicheff

Ready For Disaster

Emergency Preparedness Event reminds residents to plan ahead of disaster

May 12, 2019 | 8:00 AM

The city and fire department held their first Emergency Preparedness Event at the Meadow Lake Civic Centre on the final day of the national Emergency Preparedness Week Saturday.

Representatives from the Red Cross, KidsFirst and other organizations were in the Civic Centre on May 11 to inform people on how to prepare for an emergency from several different aspects.

Saskatchewan Fire Commissioner Duane McKay and John Kokotilo, the Regional Fire Chief of Lac La Biche County, were brought in for the event.

McKay emphasized the need of an emergency kit as a disaster can strike at any time.“If you just pull the things that you would normally use and have those available in a bag ready to go at any moment’s notice,” said McKay. “That’s all that we are asking for people to do to have in their 72-hour-kit.”

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The government of Canada recommends having two litres of water for every person per day in their emergency kit. Also inside the kit there should be: canned food, a can opener, extra car and house keys, medication, any important family documents and emergency contact information.

McKay also spoke on the different risks that each community faces and how people should be aware of the risks around where someone lives. “It doesn’t matter where you are in this province you should be aware of the risks that are associated with your location,” said McKay. “So you should first of all be aware of what risks you have and then you could start to prepare to mitigate those risks or to survive during those risk periods.”

Kokotilo spoke about the help Lac La Biche county provided to the evacuees of the 2016 wildfire that swept through Fort McMurray. Kokotilo also talked about the successes and pitfalls that came with aiding in the evacuation.

One of the faults that Kokotilo pointed out was the mental health and stress that weighs on everyone including volunteers and firefighters. “When the evacuees are coming in they’ve lost everything,” said Kokotilo. “You’re feeling remorse and sorrow for them and it starts to build. And it keeps building and building and you’re starting to feel that.”

Kokotilo had some suggestions on helping deal with poor mental health. “Break down the shifts,” said Kokotilo. “Make sure you have professionals in place so that if you have these individuals that display these characteristics. Deal with it right away.”

Kokotilo also spoke with meadowlakeNOW about having many people wanting to volunteer during a crisis. “I suggest that whatever municipality [wants to help with an emergency], has a very good volunteer management crew,” said Kokotilo. “There should be a central line that [people] should be able to contact if they want to. Also that line should be broadcast out by the municipality and let the people know about it.”

Calgary mayor Naheed Nenshi also made a video for the event speaking on his emergency experience during the flooding of Calgary.

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nikita.ganovicheff@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @Nikitaganov