Jasper to practice disaster training

From April 21 to 23, the Alberta Emergency Management Agency will be hosting courses in the Upper Curling Lounge of the Jasper Activity Centre, focusing on disaster planning. 

According to the course information sheet, “the intent of this Disaster Social Services Planning Course is to provide participants with the knowledge, skills, and tools required to develop and activate the Disaster Social Services Response Plan for their community.” 

Director of Emergency Services Greg Van Tighem said people who have a specific role in Jasper’s plan will be invited to attend the course and in addition to municipal and Parks Canada staff, individuals from Hinton have expressed interest and signed up to attend. 

As part of general disaster response in the community, there will be a full-scale two-day exercise taking place in June where Jasper’s responders can hone their skills and test interagency operability. “Every agency has a role or responsibility within certain emergencies and depending on the emergency, certain agencies take the lead role,” said Van Tighem. 

The number one hazard is a wild-land fire, he said. “Parks Canada and their fire crews will take a lead role in that, but as a municipality we also have a responsibility to our publics,” he added. 

The unique aspect about June’s exercise will be that for the first time, Jasper’s tactical response plan, which has been in development for a few years, will be tested, said Van Tighem, The plan has been put together by Alan Westhaver and Dave Smith from Parks Canada, Van Tighem, and a private contractor. 

The plan identifies areas of town and ranks them in a “hazard rating system,” said Van Tighem, so that if there’s a fire coming, they’ve predetermined “what type of structures would be able to sustain heat and fire, which ones can’t, which ones can be saved, how do we save them, what do we need to do it ... Everything is preplanned and it’s all on paper,” he said. 

Van Tighem is also developing, in conjunction with ATCO, a user-friendly information booklet for residents on emergency situations in Jasper “with a local flavour to it” and will probably launch the booklet at the community safety fair in June, he said.