Edmonton Amateurs provide support on occasion of serious toxic waste fire

The ARES Edmonton Region Group, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada were called out on the evening of May 5 for a full level 3 activation of the City of Edmonton's Emergency Operations Centre. This followed an explosion and fire in Edmonton's East side industrial area. The resulting three-alarm hazardous goods fire created a possible evacuation for nearby residents.

The ARES Edmonton Region amateurs have been training extensively in Incident Command, formal messaging, and standard operating procedures and the training paid off. Some 26 amateurs provided assistance by monitoring wind direction and speed for the smoke plume, and in addition providing communications support for the Salvation Army who were assisting the fire personnel, providing logistics vehicles and preparing to staff the evacuation centre.

The incident command structure worked extremely well, with spares always staged and ready to go when requested by the City. In the case of the evacuation centre, hams were pre-positioned and had made contact with the evacuation center's staff so that communications would be almost instantaneous should the centre be activated.

When the city asked if ARES could cover a second shift, they were told a second and third shift was already in place and a fourth could be arranged. Along with the 26 active operators, a further twelve were available for a third shift and several others monitored in case the situation deteriorated. Inter agency communications used the VE6HM VHF repeater operated by the Northern Alberta Radio Club which also sponsors the radio room at Edmonton's Emergency Operations Centre.

Incident Command spreads the workload and Standard Operating Procedures ensures few things are missed. Tom Cox VE6TOX (ARES ER EC) acted as Amateur Radio Incident Command with ARES AECs David Evans VE6DXX (NARC EC) and Carl Gill VE6GGG as Deputies at the EOC, supported by Angus Findlay VA6AJF. Net Control was James Ewen VE6SRV (ARES DEC Alberta) and after 2200 local by Gern Sabourin VA6HGS. Smoke monitoring was done by Don Smith VE6DKS and Logistics by Kathy Nicoll VE6HI, while Bob Whyte VE6TCN was nominated to activate the callout list. The ARES Edmonton Region callout list is circulated to members monthly from a computerized database.

The Salvation Army had Nathan Reeves VE6NGR (their Emergency Coordinator), Kitty Wagner VE6KIT, Chris Parker VE6PKR, Gregory Reeves VA6ALP, David MacFarlane VE6CUT, Paul Duczynski VE6PDD, James Smith VE6JBS, Paul Wickwire VE6SC and Curtis Bidulock VE6AEW. The evacuation centre was covered by Bart Vinkenborg VE6VB and 'Mitch' Mitchell VE6JTM. Incident Command Spares or second shift command included Janet Norman VE6DYB, Tony Toews VE6MVP, Dan Martin VE6GDM, Armando Carandang VE6BOG, Bill Douglas VE6WDE and Doug Rygalo VE6MIL. A special thanks goes to Alan Nichols VE6AN and Bob Nixon VE6RNN for getting twelve Fort Saskatchewan hams prepared to cover the third shift.

(Thanks to David Evans VE6DXX RAC Assistant Director - Alberta)

http://www.aresedmontonregion.net/

Source: Radio Amateurs of Canada

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