Build it and they will come?
Tanya Spooner, the city’s manager of emergency programs, is hoping they won’t have a reason to be there.
But if any people are forced to evacuate their homes due to wildfires in the region, the Emergency Support Services Reception Centre will be there to welcome them.
The provincially funded complex of three Atco trailers and a dedicated washroom facility has been set up in the Kin Centre parking lot next to Kin .
With the fire season just beginning, city staff will be ready in case there is an emergency evacuation.
The complex will serve as the co-ordination centre for the city’s response efforts to wildfires or other natural disasters to provide people forced out of their homes with access to hotel accommodations, campgrounds, meals, animal protection and whatever city services they require.
This is the second year the trailers are at the current location since it was introduced last year as a pilot project for the rest of the province.
“We learned a lot last year and we’ve made some changes to our setup this year,” said Spooner. “The main trailer for where evacuees can come and be registered can have up to 10 kiosks at a time if needed.
“The ultimate goal remains a more permanent solution. However, Prince George has been asked to support neighbouring communities time and time again, and having the trailers in place and operationally at the ready means that we are ready not only for whatever is in store for PG, but whatever is in store for our region.”
In recognition of the Indigenous communities in the north central Interior, the area the reception centre will serve, one of the trailers has been designated a cultural activity location. It will provide space as an emergency operations centre for a first nation chief and council to use to coordinate their local response and as a gathering place for their community.
In other fire-related news, the city has hired a full-time FireSmart co-ordinator who will be available to conduct assessments on properties, residential of commercial, to help mitigate fire risk.
“This means we are now actively taking requests for FireSmart assessments on properties, people can email us at [email protected],” Spooner said.
More information about the FireSmart program and the city’s emergency programs will be shared at the CityFest event on Wednesday, May 21 from 3-7 p.m. at Canada Games Plaza.
