CHETWYND – Cell phones beeped throughout Chetwynd at 1:55 pm on May 10 as the British Columbia Emergency Alert system was tested.
Dan Golob, Chetwynd’s Fire Chief and Municipal Emergency Coordinator, says this same alert would be used locally, “if you need to go now.”
The first full week of May is Emergency Preparedness Week across Canada.
The top three potential emergencies in Chetwynd are wildfire hazard, followed by flooding and heat events, says Golob.
Golob joins a provincial call daily, where emergency coordinators across the province hear from organizations like Environment Canada and BC Wildfire for updates on the outlook for potential hazards up to seven days out.
This week wildfires north of Fort St. John and across Alberta have led to local smoke and some air quality warnings.
Golob says there is a role for residents in emergency preparedness, “be conscientious, we are in drier weather and we all have to be responsible and take care.”
Specifically, in this current warm and dry weather Golob wants everyone to be very careful with campfires.
“Use clean burning fuel, keep water nearby and keep the fire contained and controlled to half a metre by half a metre,” says Golob.
To prepare for an emergency Golob recommends having a grab and go bag, keep your gas tank topped up at all times and monitor the District of Chetwynd’s website and social media pages for alerts.
Residents can also register with Everbridge, an alert app, off of the District of Chetwynd’s website.
“Never let your tank get below three quarters, any time of the year,” reiterates Golob, “you don’t want to run out of gas in the case of an emergency.”
In the event of a heat emergency or hazardous air quality Chetwynd’s Emergency Support Services Group works with the recreation centre to open an area for residents to take refuge from the heat or poor air.
“If people know of neighbours with any restrictions, or are home-bound, reach out to them,” says Golob.
If you are homebound let the District of Chetwynd know.
One of the biggest things you can do for emergency preparedness is to pay attention so that you are aware of what is going on.
Some helpful websites to do just that are: BC Wildfire , Drive BC , and BC Emergency Preparedness
For a map of smoke conditions, click here.