Athabasca County is creating an emergency reception centre manual as part of its regional emergency response plan.
The manual will serve as a comprehensive guideline that can be referenced and passed on to future staff members, other county departments and municipalities, stated county director of emergency services Ron Jackson.
“History has shown over the last five years, we’ve done two major evacuation-support reception centres, (and) they’ve both gone exceptionally well, but we’re not always going to be here,” he said.
The plan was to create something so there wouldn’t be a scramble to find the right people and resources the next time around, Jackson recalled.
“The wildcard is that you never really know initially how many people may come, if any at all,” he added.
“I’m sure you’ve seen the impact of having 200, 400, 600 additional people enter the community with nothing but the clothes that are on their back, all the services that are going to be required, and all the needs that need to be addressed. We need to be prepared for that.”
During the Wabasca wildfire evacuation in May, an emergency reception centre was set up at the Athabasca Regional Multiplex to house the hundreds forced from their homes.
The county designated Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) to operate and manage emergency social services, which included running the reception centre.
Debbie Wood, director of FCSS in Athabasca County, mentioned that a number of other agencies were present at the reception centre, but this manual would help get everyone on the same page.
“It gives us something to be able to make sure those staff are all up to speed on it. You’ve got it all in writing and you’re not missing anything,” she said.
“Plus we have a committee with representatives from those other agencies, so then you’ve got something you can do every year and review, and everybody has the same understanding.”
The manual will include information on registration, location for a reception centre, accommodations, food, laundry and healthcare, as well as contact lists for volunteers and community and provincial resources.
While parts of the manual will be specific to the Athabasca region, the majority of the manual will be generic so it can be shared with municipalities.
“You have other areas that have never experienced it,” Wood noted. “First hand experience is the best lesson (but) they can learn from what we’re learned and what worked well.”
Jackson said the county plans on having the manual in place by the end of November.
