Communication key in potential evacuation plans
If there ever was a reason to evacuate North Battleford, quick communication would be crucial in keeping residents safe.
A major wildfire is tearing its way through Fort McMurray, Alta. leaving a path of devastation and forcing the 80,000 residents of the city to flee for their safety. But what would happen if something disastrous were to happen in North Battleford like a large wildfire or a train derailment like in Lac-Mégantic, Que. in 2013?
North Battleford Fire Chief and Director of Protective Services Albert Headrick said the city’s Rapid Alert system, which rolled out last October, gives emergency personnel the tools to widely spread the message before a hypothetical evacuation.
“It gives us direct to individual land lines, Yellow Pages for anybody that’s in the Yellow Pages as a business and anybody that has signed up in regards to cell phone, email or text,” Headrick said. “We can get that information to them directly and (provide) the information necessary if an evacuation was required.”