Wellington County’s emergency management coordinator Linda Dickson says the experiences hosting members of the Sandy Lake community last year, has led to a rethinking of the county’s emergency response plan.
Her meeting with Puslinch council was part of roadshow travelling to municipalities throughout Wellington.
Dickson said amendments were to a plan approved by council in 2010 when emergency plans from across Wellington merged into a single document.
She noted that some of the amendments are minor in nature, while others stem from the experience of responding to the disaster in Sandy Lake in 2011.
“There were lessons learned and changes to be made to the plan because of that.”
One of the changes is the procedure to request the Emergency Medical Assistance Team (EMAT), a provincial resource.
In the case where existing local hospitals are at capacity, “it is a 200-bed facility that can come in,” Dickson said.
Other items included changes roles and responsibilities of the social services and human resources administrators.
Dickson said both changed as a result of the Sandy Lake experience.
She said the changes also refer to the Guelph Volunteer Centre and 211.
“It’s kind of a public blitz as well,” Dickson said.
“211 is available in Wellington County. It became available last fall in 2011.”
She said it is a telephone number people can call to get information about soft services such as social services, counselling, funding or along that line.
Dickson explained the volunteer centre maintains the database for Guelph and Wellington – keeps it up-to-date and works with Wellington’s social service agencies.
She said the 211 worked quite well last year for the residents of Goderich.
“They used the 211 service as part of their [tornado] recovery effort.”
She noted other changes are based on changes to conservation authority and Ministry of Natural Resources terminology regarding flooding.
Dickson was pleased at the efforts to develop consistent wording in the area of flood warnings.
Part of that included a look at Environment Canada weather statements.
The consistency means that members of the general public have a better understanding of weather watches, statements and warnings.
She added other policies simply relate to communications, both the ability to talk to other agencies, and also to understand what is being said.
Dickson said plans are in the works towards a strategic plan in conjunction with the city of Guelph.
Talks on that begin near the end of the month, Dickson said.
Policies are also changing to allow information to be provided in accessible formats.
Another change will include recognition of volunteers, specifically those in local service groups such as the Lions Club or Optimists.
Dickson said those groups had been overlooked in the original plan, though not intentionally.
She added there was a review of policies which came about as a result of the 2005 tornado, regarding Red Cross, St. Johns Ambulance and other non-profit agencies.
“Now, out of Sandy Lake, we’ve done a lot of talks with local service groups as to how we can work together.”
As to the issue host communities, Dickson said the plan looks at whether a municipality is able to act as a host community – in terms of providing response accommodating other communities evacuated as a result of disaster.
“Those policies by no means are a requirement for a municipality to be a host.”
It is still a council decision, she stressed.
Councillor Wayne Stokley wondered whether there was a set criteria as to what would be expected from a host community.
Dickson said that while there is no specific criteria, what was being looked at were municipalities which had the ability to accommodate people for a period of time.
She pointed out there were differences in what was needed for evacuees needing medical attention, versus those who did not.
The other aspect is that the facility is free.
She noted there is a joint agreement being developed regarding all aspects of that accommodation from communication, to feeding, to housing, clothing, laundry and costs.
“At the end of the day, if you meet the guidelines for costs, municipalities should be reimbursed 100 per cent of the costs and not be out of pocket for expense.”
Council later passed the bylaw agreeing to amend the emergency plan for Wellington County and its member municipalities
