Turtleford Emergency Management
The Turtleford Emergency Measures Co-ordinator interprets and implements the Emergency Measures Organization Plan when required.
1) Turtleford has a Disaster Plan in place, as per section 9(1) Emergency Planning. The plan is available at the Town Office should you wish to read it. Council has appointed a coordinator, Elaine Reeve, as per the act. The Town is a member of the Mutual Aid Area which consists of 13 members, RM of Britannia, RM of Frenchman Butte, Paradise Hill, St. Walburg, RM of Mervin, Turtleford, Mervin, RM of Turtle River, Meota, RM of Loon Lake, Bright Sand Regional Park, and Loon Lake. The Mutual Aid Group is available to help out a member if they were to need additional help in case of a disaster of some kind. Approximately every 4 months the Mutual Aid Group meets for an Organizational Meeting, and usually a speaker or some other educational information is presented to do with disaster planning.
2) The Town Council has an agreement with the Hospital, signed by Prairie North Rep. to assist the Hospital should they have to evacuate-allowing the Town to activate their plan and to utilize the Community Centre as a master point until further arrangements can be made.
3) The Town has in place agreements with some groups and business for access to supplies after hours and on holidays.
4) The Town has in place a group to receive evacuees should this be required-called the Reception & Inquiry Committee. The Committee is in place to organize the registration, feeding, lodging (if required) and person services such as crisis counseling in an evacuation centre.
5) The emergency operations centre is where decisions are made by Elected Officials and those who have duties to perform such as Fire Chief, Sask Environment and R.C.M.P. to name a few. They will offer support to the operations of the incident site. The emergency site manager comes to this group for advice and to get the items that are required. For example, if the site manager feels an evacuation is required then the EOC becomes involved, council declares State of Emergency and the registration/reception is activated. Now the EOC has to support the site manager and the reception centre.
6) The Town of Turtleford has access to a Mobile Command Centre through membership in the Mutual Aid Area. This trailer is basically a mobile office with communication equipment for use free of charge compliments of the RM of Frenchman Butte. This arrangement saves each community from having to buy radios etc.- that may or may not be used. This trailer is also available to the RCMP, for such things as search and rescue.
The aim of the Turtleford Emergency Measures Organization Plan is to provide the earliest possible coordinated response in order that the following is assured:
- Minimizing the effects of an emergency or disaster on the Town of Turtleford and its inhabitants;
- The protection and preservation of health and private property and;
- The restoration of essential services.
Any person interested in volunteering or helping out in any way please contact the
Town Office at 306-845-2156.