On Monday, March 21, Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) spoke at the regular meeting of Town Council. AEMA presented the Roles & Responsibilities of Council.
Emergency is defined as an event that requires prompt co-ordination of action or special regulation of persons or property to protect the safety, health or welfare of people or to limit damage to property.
Whereas, a Disaster is defined as an event that results in serious harm to safety, health or welfare of people or in widespread damage to property.
The Emergency Framework starts with the people, committees or organizations, then to Town Council. After that, the framework goes to the Provincial and Federal Governments. Their priorities are: save life/minimize impact on people, protect property, protect the environment and protect the economy. Prior to emergencies or disasters, the mitigation and preparedness is already in place.
The Municipal Government Act gives jurisdiction to pass bylaws
regarding the safety, health and welfare of people and the protection of property. In emergencies, a municipality may take whatever actions or measures are necessary to eliminate the emergency. Local authority shall, at all times, be responsible for the direction and control of the local authority’s (Town Council) emergency response, unless Senior Government assumes direction and control. Senior Government was responsible for the direction and control in High River, during the floods in 2013.
Emergency Management Agency is compiled from Council and Directors, Police, Fire Department, EMS, School Division authorities, Hospital CAO’s, and other mutual agencies including Clergy and Agricultural representatives. This agency forms the core responding organization in the community. They assist in preparing and implementing the Municipal Emergency Management Program.
State of Local Emergency must have the conditions that an emergency exists or may exist and may require the use of extraordinary powers. Those powers are: forced evacuation, confiscation of personal property, demolish of buildings or removal of structures, provide maintenance of essential facilities, distribution of essential supplies and coordination of essential services.
State of Local Emergency also requires individuals to give aid if qualified, evacuate and remove livestock from endangered properties and require individuals to assist in any way to carry out these actions. For example: if you own a D9 Cat or a backhoe, you may be required to assist and you would be compensated for your time.
Council is also allowed to fix prices of food, fuel, clothing and other essential supplies. Example: the water is no longer drinkable, so the price would be fixed on bottled water to prevent overpricing because of demand.
No liability action lies against a local authority or a person acting under the local authority’s direction or authorization for anything done or omitted to be done in GOOD FAITH while carrying out a power or duty under this Act or the regulations during a state of local emergency. This would also include any registered volunteers.
After the emergency or disaster, the Town would oversee recovery operations, final media information and briefings, have presence during debriefing and ensure recommendations are implemented, especially budget considerations.
