The Kneehill Regional Emergency Management Agency (KREMA) hosted a five-day training exercise with Three Hills, Trochu, Acme, Carbon, Linden, and Kneehill County teams working collaboratively to prepare and respond to emergencies.
The goal of the Emergency Management exercise was to train individuals to ensure knowledgeable and reliable resources are available to respond to disasters in the region. Since 2017, the Kneehill Region has seen overland flooding, the risk of a dangerous goods incident, a tornado, and multiple grass fires.
“The best thing we can do as a municipality is to be prepared,” says Kneehill County Director of Emergency Management Debra Grosfield. “It’s not a question of if a disaster will strike, but when. And we’ll be ready to respond.”
Established in 2004, KREMA was recently granted an official Ministerial Order in October of 2020 and continues to work closely and collaboratively with the province of Alberta and the Alberta Emergency Management Agency to improve emergency response. The regional group consists of emergency management personnel and staff from local municipalities, enforcement agencies, fire and first responders, and social services. The group meets regularly to plan and prepare in case of emergencies in the Kneehill region.
In 2019, KREMA received the Emergency Management Preparation Program (EMPP) grant for $17,500 to conduct additional emergency management training from the Alberta Government.
These community-based exercises optimized the funds available from the grant for training purposes.
“We are working together at the municipal level to support our communities across Kneehill County, but our residents can take actions at home to prepare for emergencies,” said Grosfield. “One of the most important is an emergency kit with supplies on hand to be self-sufficient for at least 72 hours, including water, food, and medical supplies. Depending on the disaster, it may take that long for first responders to assist you.”
Residents are encouraged to learn about potential hazards by visiting getprepared.ca.
