Residents urged to develop plan for wildfires and other emergencies
With wildfires burning across the province, safety advocates say it’s important to have a plan for emergencies.
Wildfires continue to burn in the Crutwell area, the southwest portion of the Prince Albert National Park, and other areas of northern and central Saskatchewan. While some communities have been evacuated, others remain on standby. The Canadian Red Cross is working to house some evacuees already, and officials with the humanitarian organization said it’s important to stay informed. That means knowing how close wildfires are, learning where the evacuation centre will be, and knowing what to do before and after leaving.
Rod Orr, with the Saskatchewan disaster management team of the Canadian Red Cross, said it’s important for evacuees to register with local emergency management teams should they have to leave their homes.
“Even if they’re not going to be staying there, they should register. That way they have access to services that are being provided, either by the government or Red Cross,” Orr said. “It also allows us to help out-of-town people, for example, to track family members.”