Emergency Management Agency Chair Bjorn Berg reports to Town and MD Councils

Bjorn Berg

Chris Davis - MD of Pincher Creek No. 9 Deputy Reeve Bjorn Berg appeared before Pincher Creek's Town Council as Chair of the Emergency Services Committee and the Pincher Creek Community Emergency Management Agency (PCCEMA) on Monday evening, August 27.

Berg said Fire Chief Dave Cox had been appointed temporary Acting Director for the PCCEMA at their August 22 meeting. "We weren't really prepared to actually advertise for that position because we are undergoing a regional collaboration grant process that would actually maybe change the way the reporting structure of that agency (Emergency Management) would be, as well as our Emergency Services. We will have an idea what that will look like in about six months."
"We have basically 10 individuals that can carry the ball in any emergency right at the moment," Berg explained.

"The Agency is probably one of the better managed and controlled agencies in the Province. I feel very comfortable with what (retiring Director) Brett (Wuth) has actually provided us with in the last year or two years, and some of that assurance means that the safety of our community during a declared emergency is more than abundantly clear."

"In addition to our Acting Director we have our Deputy Director, that's Jim Cisar, who is the Fire Chief in Cowley, and then we have up to ten individuals who would be our emergency on-call. There are a minimum of an additional three people that can substitute in, including Brett Wuth, and (former Fire Chief) Ralph Bourke... and retired Major Rick Bell, who has been taking on more and more responsibility."

"In addition to that we've got a number of people we've interviewed over the course of the last eight months that have agreed to be Emergency On-call."

"Brett isn't really leaving us, he's just stepping away from the position of Director," Berg explained, saying that Wuth had to spend more time on his own business.

Berg said that consultants hired to facilitate the regional collaboration process were effusive in their praise for the organization of the Emergency Management Agency.

"It's probably the model they are going to use for the way regional systems are developed across the province, or at least one of them."

He said the consultants would be in the community talking to civic leaders. "You can probably expect a phone call," he told Town Council.

According to Berg, one of the big issues facing the Agency is the speed with which rumours can spread. A new 1-800 number system is being devised to disseminate more accurate information in the case of an emergency.

Berg brought the same message to his own MD of Pincher Creek Council the next day.