Emergency bylaw up to date

Citizens in the town of Coaldale can rest easy knowing their emergency management bylaw has been brought up to speed with the recently updated provincial standards.

Field officer Mark Murphy from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency has been working closely with members on the emergency advisory committee to review and update where needed for the past couple of months.

The emergency advisory committee is responsible for updating and maintaining the bylaw, in accordance with the Emergency Management Act.

“The emergency advisory committee is made up of three citizen members, a representative from council, the Director of Emergency Management and administrative support is provided by town staff,” said Director of Emergency Management Coun. Sherrie Duda.

“The three citizen members of the emergency advisory committee are appointed by council at the October organizational meeting each year.

Citizens can apply to fill vacant positions on the committee at that time. The agency is comprised of representatives of community organizations who may be called upon to provide support during a municipal-wide emergency.”

Although both the committee and agency have been in place for a number of years, they need to be kept current under the Emergency Management Act.

With the emergency management bylaw in place, in the event of a disaster, the town can call up other groups within the community to become partners in an emergency. Meetings are held regularly to compare plans and share information to be as prepared as possible when disaster strikes.

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