Regional Emergency Management Agreement

By Nikki Jamieson
Westwind Weekly News

During their regular April 13 meeting, Magrath town council discussed a Regional Emergency Management Agreement.

The agreement — which consists of Magrath, Cardston, Hill Spring, Glenwood and Cardston County — will establish a regional committee, agency and emergency management positions, as required under the provincial legislation. This is a new agreement for all member municipalities, and the municipalities have been working on it for the past few months with an emergency management consultant.

“This agreement is important because an emergency or disaster such as a flood or grass fire, for example, can rise quickly and to a degree where the local resources may be overwhelmed. All of Westwind Weekly News the municipalities in this agreement recognize our pooled resources may be required in order to cope with such an event that affects multiple municipalities,” said James Suffredine, CAO for Magrath.

Council had passed motions to sign the agreement for the regional partnership, and performed first reading of Bylaw 1280 — the Cardston County Regional Emergency Management Bylaw.

Once passed, the bylaw will repeal and replace the town’s existing Emergency Management Agency Bylaw 1255.