Councillor lauds new tool to co-ordinate emergency response

An Ottawa city councillor who saw parts of his ward devastated by atornado in 2018 is lauding a new emergency preparedness toolintended to help community members and the city band together in times of crisis.

Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Keith Eglicalled forbetter emergency response co-ordinationin the aftermath of theSept. 21, 2018, tornadoes, one of whichtore through hisward and severely damaged the neighbourhoods of Craig Henry and Arlington Woods.

A draft version of the tool went live Monday. Residents canoffer feedback until May 28.

"What we learned from [the tornado] was that there's a lot of good community groups out there community associations, church groupsthat want to help and did help," Egli said.

"But at the end of the experience, they [asked for] a guidebook or a toolbox, so that we can be more organized from the get-go so we can take all those good intentions and put them to work much more quickly and much more efficiently."

'Who do you call?'

Six tornadoes blew throughthe Ottawa-Gatineau area that day, strikingnot justEgli's wardbut also the Dunrobin area andGatineau's Mont-Bleu neighbourhood.

In the immediate aftermath, Knoxdale-Merivale residents set up temporary safe spaces at churches and formed groups to clear away debris, Egli said but those activities included risks the city had to manage simultaneously.

It's that kind of scenario that the tool will ideally help co-ordinate, he said.

"It'sall about better partnership, better communication, and having ... a better sense of what you need and can do after something awful like that happens," Egli said.

"You're not sort of standing around trying to figure it out. You have a plan, and you can hit the ground running."

The tool also guidesthe initial response to other emergencies like ice storms, heat waves, widespread floodsand even earthquakes. It also helpsfamilies come up with their ownemergencyplans.

As Egli notes, whendisaster strikes, it's not immediately clear which emergency service be it fire, police or paramedics to connect with right away.

"You're sitting down to dinner, and then a few minutes later the roof of your house is gone, or your car is [smashed] by a tree. Who do you call? Which city agency should you be speaking to?" he said.

"Things like that would be helpful for people, so they know where to go."

Using lessons from tornadoes, city debuts new emergency preparedness tool

3 years ago

Duration 1:05

Ottawa Coun. Keith Egli, whose ward was severely damaged by a tornado in 2018, says a new emergency preparedness tool will help community groups and the city coordinate their responses and develop a guidebook ahead of future emergencies.