Council to consider first reading to amend the Emergency Management Bylaw to establish a Regional Emergency Management Partnership

On Monday’s regular City Council Meeting, Council will consider giving first reading to amending the Emergency Management Bylaw to begin the process of establishing a Regional Emergency Management Partnership with municipalities within the Red Deer County area.

The Red Deer Regional Emergency Management Partnership seeks to establish and formalize mutual aid agreements between The City of Red Deer, Red Deer County, Town of Penhold, Town of Bowden, Village of Delburne, Village of Elnora, Town of Innisfail and Town of Sylvan Lake. Regional agreements are beneficial if a disaster occurs and is multi-jurisdictional impacting multiple municipalities. In such a scenario, the impacted municipalities are often competing against one another for the same resources. Through a regional agreement approach, municipalities can work together to establish shared priorities and deploy resources regionally in a coordinated effort, ensuring public safety in all areas of the region.

“The partnership agreement would enable The City of Red Deer and partners to streamline resources through a coordinated emergency response, as well as collaborate on training programs and exercises, which strengthens our region as a whole when, and if, a widescale emergency were to occur,” said Carol Lind, Emergency Management Coordinator, The City of Red Deer. “This partnership agreement strengthens all of our municipalities’ emergency preparedness and response abilities, not just benefiting citizens of Red Deer, but all citizens within the region.”

The partnership will require all participating local authorities to pass their own bylaw amendments and endorse the Red Deer Regional Emergency Management Partnership Agreement. Municipalities will retain decision making authority for their respective municipalities. It is expected the partnership agreement could be in effect by summer 2023.