Disaster: Slave Lake Burning To The Ground
With relatively little news published Sunday on the wildfires raging in northern Alberta, many Canadians will awake Monday morning to learn with surprise and shock the town of Slave Lake is literally burning to the ground. The entire town of approximately seven thousand persons has been evacuated by mandatory order of council; those refusing to leave for their own safety will be arrested.
Slave Lake is located 250km north west of Edmonton
Overnight the RCMP are reporting some 30% of the town has been destroyed; unconfirmed overnight reports state emergency personnel have also been evacuated.
Images, Video, News
- Southeastern area of Slave Lake engulfed in flames (image)
- New town hall built last year, Slave Lake - fully involved (image)
- Thousands flee Alberta town amid destructive wildfire (May 16, 2011 - The Canadian Press)
- Change in winds caused chaos for fire-devastated Slave Lake Alta. (Sunday May 15, 2011 - Josh Wingrove, The Globe and Mail)
- Wildfire destroys large section of Slave Lake (1:45AM May 16, 2011 - iNews 880AM)
- Water bombers drop near highway (youtube video)
Slide show
Video taken May 15, 2011
Short clip by E-FM's Doug Yearwood gives a hint of the vast breadth of fire scene
In an Alberta Government news release issued early May 16, three evacuation Reception Centres were identified:
- Westlock Community Hall, 10711 104 Ave., Westlock, AB (map)
- Athabasca Multiplex, #2 University Dr., Athabaska, AB (now full) (map)
- North Edmonton, M.E. LaZerte High School, 6804 144 Ave., Edmonton, AB (map)
- Family members seeking information on evacuated patients from hospitals and long term care facilities call: Alberta Health Services at 1-866-301-2668.
Reports indicate the Athabaska Multiplex complex is full, now providing assistance to 600 residents.
Slave Lake Wildfire Resources
- Government of Alberta: Newsroom
- Government of Alberta: Wildfire Situation Reports
- Red Cross: Family Update information 1-780-523-3388
- Twitter: hashtag #slavelake (seemingly the best option as AB government so far posting to this hashtag)
- Twitter: hashtag #slavelakefire
- Origin of name "Slave Lake"
Donations
If you want to help the relief and recovery effort two solid charitable organizations that will be able to make use of your monetary assistance are the Canadian Red Cross and The Salvation Army. In Alberta these are surely going to be among the governmental and non-governmental organizations that assist.
Early reports indicate the Canadian Red Cross has already mobilized material and personnel to support evacuees and reception centres. In addition to providing on the ground help the Canadian Red Cross in most jurisdictions is the go-to agency to provide family reunification services via reception centres and 800 telephone lines and call cenres.
The Salvation Army also provides services in Slave Lake and typically assist with materials, equipment, food services. Both are worthy charities that are typically integral to any disaster response and recovery program.
- Canadian Red Cross: 1-800-418-1111 http://www.redcross.ca/
- Salvation Army http://salvationarmy.ca/donate/
Prepare Yourself
While we keep the plight residents of Slave Lake face in our thoughts today, please also consider your own personal readiness for disaster. Do you have a grab and go kit ready? Spares of critical items such as prescription glasses and key medicines? A pre-defined meet-up location for all of your family in case of disaster?
Local and provincial governments publish extensive emergency preparation information as do the Red Cross; most larger municipalities also offer courses - often these are free of charge - aimed at improving individual readiness.
If you are looking to volunteer your time to a disaster relief or preparedness organization, in most of Canada check with the Red Cross or your local municipality. In British Columbia all municipalities by legislation must plan for and train for disaster relief. This function is called Emergency Social Services; in B.C. check with your local government or the B.C. Provincial Emergency Program for more information.
Get Involved
There are many opportunities to help your community prepare for and respond to emergencies. No large disaster that involves the displacement of hundreds or thousands of people can be fully handled by paid emergency response staff, consequently municipal, provincial, or other non-governmental agencies are always looking for interested volunteers to get involved with their community emergency preparedness and disaster response organizations.
I serve as a Team Captain with the City of Vancouver Disaster Response Team. This Level I response team responds to fires, floods and an increasingly diverse nature of emergencies and disasters found in major Canadian cities. I find the work tremendously rewarding -- perhaps you might too. Programs such as what we run here in Vancouver are continually on the lookout for new volunteers, so if interested at all, contact your municipal offices or provincial program for more information.
Right now volunteers in Alberta are working at reception centre locations to deliver services to thousands of evacuees. Depending on the scope of the disaster as more information unfolds, organizations such as the Red Cross may even be looking for untrained "convergent" volunteers to help manage the workload. When a big event stretches out over many days the need for relief help grows large.
If you are local to any of the reception centre locations and are interested in helping out, contact the Red Cross (number above) for information or contact in person the information desk at the reception centre nearest you.