How Emergency Operations Centres Work
The fire of June 15th that consumed two houses in the northern part of Wakaw exemplified the importance of emergency planning. No one wants an emergency to occur, but preplanning and preparedness facilitate effective management when dangers exist. During the summer, Saturday mornings are busy in Wakaw, especially at the corner of Main Street and 1st Avenue where the Farmers Market operates from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Public safety and the needs of emergency personnel were a prime consideration with the fire roughly two blocks away.
Fire Chief Baker activated the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC), a part of the Town of Wakaw’s Emergency Measures Plan. The EOC outlines roles and responsibilities during emergencies and coordinates and supports incident management activities including emergency response, business continuity, and crisis communications. Based on the internationally used Incident Command System, a standardized approach to the command, control, and coordination of emergency response, the EOC provides a common hierarchy within which responders from multiple agencies can work effectively.
The routine, day-to-day management of government differs greatly from emergency operations. During an emergency, effective decision-making relies on leaders’ ability to collect emergency-related information promptly, which requires close coordination between key officials from various departments, agencies and organizations. An Emergency Operations Center is essential for coordinating and directing emergency efforts across multiple agencies. The main objectives of an EOC are to provide continuity and communications throughout an event or incident; coordinate responding local, regional, and provincial agencies, organizations, and companies; manage data and general and public information utilizing recognized forms and channels; provide resources and personnel; and deal with immediate expenses.
During the emergency, the staff of the Town of Wakaw worked with SaskWater to boost water pressure in the hydrants. They shared important updates on social media, set up a rest area for the firefighters, and provided them with water and food during the long hours of fighting the fire.
Emergency management is not just for organizations, it is for individuals too. Emergency management begins with prevention and preparedness. Emergency preparedness, as the name suggests, is all about being ready for an emergency. This means putting into place plans and procedures to help respond quickly and effectively to any emergency and not reacting blindly. According to the Government of Canada’s, Get Prepared, every Canadian household needs an emergency plan so everyone knows what to do in the case of an emergency. Families may not be together when an emergency occurs, and a personal emergency management plan should include how to meet or contact one another if an emergency occurs and should involve discussions about what to do in different situations and how to keep all members safe.
Always be prepared for emergencies by having a plan and supplies in place, including food, water, and medicine and having an emergency evacuation or disaster preparedness plan ready.
· Have an emergency kit and supplies in a safe shelter where family members can take refuge if severe weather, such as a tornado, strikes.
· Make copies of birth and marriage certificates, passports, licences, wills, land deeds, insurance, medical documents, and the previous two years' tax forms and NOAs. Take photos of family members in the event a family member goes missing. Place copies in a fireproof safe place, inside and outside the home.
· In the event of an evacuation, please remember that not all public shelters or hotels allow pets. Be prepared to bring pets to a friend or relative's home, or research pet-friendly hotels and boarding facilities, nearby and further away.
Once the emergency is over, people need help to recover. This may mean providing necessities like clothing, shelter, and food, but it also means emotional support. The American Psychological Association notes that it is common for people to experience several emotional stages of adjustment following a residential fire including shock, anger, depression, and hopelessness. The home is a place of security, comfort, and safety. After a fire, this sense of security can be lost and a significant disruption to the normality of daily life occurs. Especially, in the event of a total loss fire, precious mementos are lost, and telling a fire-loss victim that it was “just stuff” negates their sense of loss. Fire-loss victims agree a toaster is ‘stuff’ and a coffeemaker is ‘stuff’, but the photo albums with pictures of departed family members are not ‘stuff’, nor are mementos of special occasions with special people.
According to research, children, and adolescents can react in a variety of ways when dealing with the aftermath of a fire including experiencing anxiety, nightmares and sleep disorders. A child’s coping ability is highly influenced by how their parents and caregivers deal with a crisis. Because children often look to adults for guidance, support, and information, adults need to find strategies to help themselves cope successfully with the trauma. Be open to children sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas, and encourage them to return to their normal routines, including playtime.
After the June 15th fire, the Red Cross was contacted, and both families impacted by the fire have since had GoFundMe pages established: “Renee & Jesse Thompson’s Family” organized by Santanna Brown, and “Tim and Kids” organized by Muchelle Harder. Renee Thompson is employed at Columbian Industries in Cudworth, and they held a fundraising barbecue on Thursday, June 20th. The Wakaw and Cudworth Sarcan depots have a ‘Drop & Go’ account established by Columbian Industries using the email columbian@columbianindustries.com for the affected families.
An emergency is any serious, unexpected, and often dangerous situation requiring immediate action. It could be a residential fire, a wildland fire, or severe weather resulting from climate change. For more emergency preparedness information, including brochures on specific risks, such as earthquakes, tornados, power outages, floods and severe storms, and guides for emergency preparedness for people with disabilities, children, pets and service animals. Visit getprepared.gc.ca
Carol Baldwin, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Wakaw Recorder
