Watching the flood waters rise in southern Alberta late last month and seeing similar waters attacking Toronto this week is a reminder of how fragile our communities are to unexpected natural disasters.
In Jasper, the chance of a flood is low. But, as we saw last summer, heavy rainfall can bring with it other natural events, like mudslides and icefalls. Fortunately for us, those incidents took place in the early morning hours, well before visitors were venturing out, and ultimately, there was little infrastructure damage and no loss of life.
In places like High River—the community hit the hardest by the floods—most residents have experienced damage of one kind or another to their homes and workplaces, as well as the community’s businesses, and at least three lives have been lost.
Fortunately for our little mountain town, we have never experienced such a disaster.
For us, some of the greatest risks are ones that we take ourselves, going out into the backcountry, climbing steep cliffs or rafting down rough waterways.
But there are other risks that our community faces, as well. For example, forest fires or train derailments—like the devastating one that took place in Quebec over the weekend, killing at least 15 people.
There’s much to learn from these events. It’s a reminder to all of us how easily our lives can be washed away. But it is also a reminder of how important it is to be prepared for anything and everything.
We’re a couple months past Emergency Preparedness Week, but it’s worth revisiting the ideas shared during that time. Most importantly, the notion that each and every one of us is responsible for taking care of ourselves and our families for the first 72 hours after an emergency.
That means having an emergency kit stocked with batteries, flashlights, extra clothes, toiletries, non-perishable food and water, and it means having a family plan.
Of course, the people who take the brunt of the labour during a disaster are our first responders. These brave men and women dive headfirst into emergencies to ensure those who are in desperate need of assistance get it in a timely fashion.
The firefighters, paramedics, police officers and other emergency staff depend on the entire community to follow through with their responsibility of preparedness so that those people who are injured, elderly or in compromised health can be the first to receive assistance.
It’s reassuring to note Jasper’s first responders, whether they be from Parks Canada, the municipality, CN Rail or the RCMP, get together once a year to practice for such a disaster.
The simulated emergency is a practice run, so that everyone knows what to do when a real emergency hits our community. The focus of these table top scenarios and during real life emergencies is to protect life and the environment.
We can only hope Jasper is never on the receiving end of a major disaster, but if it is, it’s good to know that our first responders are well trained and prepared for the job of keeping us and the park safe.
To those responders who are working endlessly in southern Alberta and now in Toronto and Quebec, our thanks go out to you for all of your hard work. And to those who have been affected by these disasters, our thoughts go out to you as you rebuild your communities and your lives.
