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Eight municipalities

Red Deer moves forward with Regional Emergency Management Partnership

Apr 5, 2023 | 3:02 PM

The City of Red Deer has agreed to enter into a Regional Emergency Management Partnership with seven other nearby municipalities.

At their meeting on Monday, city council gave second and third reading to amend the Emergency Management Bylaw to begin the process of establishing the partnership, which seeks to formalize mutual aid agreements between The City, Red Deer County, Town of Penhold, Town of Bowden, Village of Delburne, Village of Elnora, Town of Innisfail and Town of Sylvan Lake.

City officials say regional agreements are beneficial if a disaster, such as a tornado or mass flooding, occurs and impacts multiple municipalities.

READ: Red Deer among eight municipalities considering Regional Emergency Management Partnership

In such a scenario, they say the impacted municipalities are often competing against one another for the same resources as local supplies may not be sufficient. However, through a regional agreement approach, officials say municipalities can work together to establish shared priorities and deploy resources regionally in a coordinated effort to ensure public safety and may be eligible for increased governmental funding opportunities.

Officials confirm the City of Red Deer’s emergency program would operate independently with a supporting agreement outlining the terms and conditions for any regional emergency management initiative or response.

They say each municipality would be responsible for declaring their own State of Local Emergency when they are “satisfied that an emergency exists or may exist in its municipality”. If one municipality makes the declaration, the other partnering municipalities do not also have to make the same declaration, unless applicable.

READ MORE:

Town of Penhold amends Regional Emergency Management Bylaw to enter into a regional partnership

Sylvan Lake joins Red Deer Regional Emergency Management Partnership Agreement