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Emergency partnership agreement becomes official
Jocelyn Turner
Jul 05, 2013 • July 5, 2013 • 2 minute read
The official signing of the Grande Prairie Regional Emergency Partnership (GPREP) agreement brought representatives of six neighbouring municipalities – the towns of Sexsmith, Beaverlodge, Wembley, village of Hythe, city of Grande Prairie and the County of Grande Prairie – to the community services building in Clairmont recently.
The agreement allows for each municipality to act together or on the behalf of another in the event of a regional disaster.
"It basically outlines how the six municipalities are going to work together during the event of a large scale emergency or disaster," said GPREP co-ordinator Jennifer Wood. "They've agreed to all work together and support each other first off, but secondly they've also agreed to transfer some of the powers to the regional body so that some of the things a municipality can do that the regional group will be able to do as well and that's just going to make our response faster and more efficient."
For example, if something happened in Sexsmith and the councillors in that area were not able to be reached, the regional group would still be able to go in and help out the community, Wood explained. The emergency responders of each community would work together instead of having each municipality working on their own.
"It's one of those things that we hope to never have to use but if there was a really big event here, this agreement helps us to be able to work together more efficiently and to respond faster," she said.
City of Grande Prairie Mayor Bill Given said the agreement demonstrates the kind of strong relationship they have as well as putting the needs and safety of their residents first.
"When it comes to putting the interests of our residents first, we're all very capable of that," he said. "I think that this agreement is evident of that."
County Reeve Leanne Beaupre said the need for such an agreement is reinforced by the current flooding in Southern Alberta and the fires in Slave Lake from two years ago.
"There are times, in times of disaster especially, that we are unable to speak for ourselves," said Beaupre. "This partnership allows for those that are committed in the relationship to go ahead and take control of the situation and work on our behalf."
Although there was always a known understanding that the municipalities would come together to help each other, the agreement makes it official as well as granted GPREP the status of an official organization.
Jocelyn.turner@sunmedia.ca
Twitter: @DHTJocelyn.
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