Legal along with Bon Accord, Gibbons, Morinville, Redwater and Sturgeon County have cooperatively developed Sturgeon Regional Emergency Management Partnership (SREMP) with the support and approval from the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
SREMP promotes increased co-ordination, co-operation, collaboration, capacity, and integration by all six member municipalities and the province during all phases of emergency management: planning and preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation. The Plan also enhances emergency preparedness, public education, and common public messaging for each of the key hazards the region may face and will strengthen regional information sharing, communications, and joint planning, training, and exercises.
Preparing Yourself and Your Home for Wildfire Season
Preparing Yourself and Your Home for a Wildfire
It’s wildfire season in Alberta, and it’s time to practice fire safety and take steps to protect our property.
Last year, Alberta saw 1,246 wildfires that burned nearly 131,000 hectares of land. Most of these fires, at 61 per cent, were caused by people, which usually means they could have been prevented.
This wildfire season – from March until the end of October – stay on the lookout for wildfire, and be ready if one threatens your community.
If you are posting to your municipal website and have information about safe burning (fire permits, fire bans, fireworks safety), OHV safety, etc., we’d encourage you add that to expand on this content.
If you see a wildfire, call 911, or 310-FIRE (310-3473) in a forested area.
Safe Burning and Fire Prevention
Some of the ways people cause wildfires include operating an off-highway vehicle (OHV), having a campfire or using fireworks. Being safe when doing these activities reduces the risk of wildfire.
Visit ca to see if there is a fire advisory, restriction or ban in your community before you have a fire or discharge fireworks.
If you smoke, only dispose of cigarettes in appropriate containers and never discard them from a moving vehicle.
Only burn what you can control, never leave a fire unattended, and fully extinguish fire pits and burn barrels after use. Learn more about safe burning.
Before you ride an OHV, clean out hot spots – including exhaust and muffler, under the seat, in wheel wells and engine and manifold – and remove debris from your machine. Remove build-up from your machine throughout your ride, and carry a fire extinguisher with you in case there is a fire. Learn more wildfire prevention tips for OHV users
Protecting Your Home
Homes can be easily ignited by embers from an area wildfire. Learn FireSmart methods to make your home less vulnerable to wildfires:
Remove items that can burn – like dried branches, leaves, lawn furniture, propane tanks, firewood and debris – from within 1.5 metres (five feet) of your home.
Remove and properly dispose of debris, leaves and other material from your roof and gutters.
Remove dead vegetation and other items from under your deck or porch. Screen or box-in areas below decks to prevent debris and other materials from gathering.
Keep your lawn watered and maintained. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire.
Prune trees so the lowest branches are at least 1.75 metres (six feet) from the ground. Make sure branches are at least 15 metres (five feet) from your home, deck or fence.
SREMP is a partnership between Sturgeon County, Morinville, Gibbons, Redwater, Bon Accord and Legal. These municipalities work together to coordinate emergency preparedness, response and recovery from disasters.
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It’s wildfire season in Alberta, and it’s time to practice fire safety and take steps to protect our property.
Last year, Alberta saw 1,246 wildfires that burned nearly 131,000 hectares of land. Most of these fires, at 61 per cent, were caused by people, which usually means they could have been prevented.
This wildfire season – from March until the end of October – stay on the lookout for wildfire, and be ready if one threatens your community.
If you see a wildfire, call 911, or 310-FIRE (310-3473) in a forested area.
Safe Burning and Fire Prevention
Some of the ways people cause wildfires include operating an off-highway vehicle (OHV), having a campfire or using fireworks. Being safe when doing these activities reduces the risk of wildfire.
Visit albertafirebans.ca to see if there is a fire advisory, restriction or ban in your community before you have a fire or discharge fireworks.
If you smoke, only dispose of cigarettes in appropriate containers and never discard them from a moving vehicle.
Only burn what you can control, never leave a fire unattended, and fully extinguish fire pits and burn barrels after use. Learn more about safe burning.
Before you ride an OHV, clean out hot spots – including exhaust and muffler, under the seat, in wheel wells and engine and manifold – and remove debris from your machine. Remove build-up from your machine throughout your ride, and carry a fire extinguisher with you in case there is a fire. Learn more wildfire prevention tips for OHV users.
Protecting Your Home
Homes can be easily ignited by embers from an area wildfire. Learn FireSmart methods to make your home less vulnerable to wildfires:
Remove items that can burn – like dried branches, leaves, lawn furniture, propane tanks, firewood and debris – from within 1.5 metres (five feet) of your home.
Remove and properly dispose of debris, leaves and other material from your roof and gutters.
Remove dead vegetation and other items from under your deck or porch. Screen or box-in areas below decks to prevent debris and other materials from gathering.
Keep your lawn watered and maintained. Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire.
Prune trees so the lowest branches are at least 1.75 metres (six feet) from the ground. Make sure branches are at least 15 metres (five feet) from your home, deck or fence.
SREMP is a partnership between Sturgeon County, Morinville, Gibbons, Redwater, Bon Accord and Legal. These municipalities work together to coordinate emergency preparedness, response and recovery from disasters.
Disaster Preparedness Tips When you Have Pets and Livestock
Animals are our companions and for farmers, animals and livestock could be their livelihood.
In an emergency, your pets, farm animals and livestock rely on you to keep them safe. Take simple steps today to keep your animals safe in an emergency.
Planning for Your Pets
How can you ensure your pets are safe when an emergency occurs?>
When making your emergency plan, consider your pets. Plan to bring your pets with you if you must evacuate. You might not be able to get to your pets in an emergency; consider having a buddy system with a neighbour, friend or family member that could care for or evacuate your pets if you’re not able to.
Pets are not allowed in all public shelters and hotels. We recommend your emergency plan include a list of pet-friendly hotels and/or pet boarding facilities in and outside of your local area.
We also suggest you get your pets microchipped; this is one of the best ways to be reunited with your pets if you get separated. Make sure to keep the linked contact information up to date so you’ll be contacted if your pet is found.
We also recommend packing an emergency kit unique to your pet that can be used whether you are sheltering in place or evacuating. The following list includes the general items to consider, but customize your kit for your pet:
pet license
collar, harness, leash and muzzle
important documents such as identification records, vaccination records, insurance information and prescription medication information
photo of you and your pet together to help prove ownership
pet carrier, cage or crate
supply of food and water to last at least 72 hours with bowls
waste bags, litter box/tray with litter, bedding materials, and other sanitation supplies
blankets, towels and toys
Tip: store your pet items in the carrier or crate to make it easy to find and grab.
Having farm animals and livestock brings unique challenges during an emergency. When building your emergency plan, consider the following:
Build a map and outline the buildings on the property and note key services (power and water sources), access points, equipment locations and dangerous chemical storage. Include a map in each building.
Set a meeting place or muster point in case an evacuation is ordered. Make sure everyone knows the location(s) and ensure there is feed, water and shelter for any animals you can evacuate. Consider seasonal weather impacts.
Create safe transportation methods. If possible, practice loading and transporting your animals.
Create an emergency contact list that includes neighbours, animal handlers/transporters, veterinarians and feed suppliers. Post this list in each building.
When you are told to evacuate, it can be a difficult decision knowing you have farm animals and livestock. Remember that authorities will only ask you to leave your home if they have reason to believe you are in danger.
Evacuating with your animals takes time. If you have enough time and the right equipment – such as corrals, chutes and trailers – you can evacuate with your animals. If you have time, haul feed and water to the evacuation location if needed. Also, make sure your animals are marked with a visual identifier for easy identification; use a semi-permanent livestock marker to write your cell phone number or draw a unique mark on their body.
If you are not able to evacuate with your farm animals, it’s equally as important to mark your animals with a visual identifier. You’ll also want to leave at least 72 hours of food and water that doesn’t need power to function. If you have time, open gates or reroute fencing to create a large area for the animals to move. Don’t keep animals in your barn; once they are out, keep the barn doors closed to prevent animals from going back inside where there could get trapped.
SREMP is a partnership between Sturgeon County, Morinville, Gibbons, Redwater, Bon Accord and Legal. These municipalities work together to coordinate emergency preparedness, response and recovery from disasters.
Planning for Your Pets
When making your emergency plan, consider your pets. Plan to bring your pets with you if you must evacuate. You might not be able to get to your pets in an emergency; consider having a buddy system with a neighbour, friend or family member that could care for or evacuate your pets if you’re not able to.
Pets are not allowed in all public shelters and hotels. We recommend your emergency plan include a list of pet-friendly hotels and/or pet boarding facilities in and outside of your local area.
We also suggest you get your pets microchipped; this is one of the best ways to be reunited with your pets if you get separated. Make sure to keep the linked contact information up to date so you’ll be contacted if your pet is found.
We also recommend packing an emergency kit unique to your pet that can be used whether you are sheltering in place or evacuating. The following list includes the general items to consider, but customize your kit for your pet:
pet license
collar, harness, leash and muzzle
important documents such as identification records, vaccination records, insurance information and prescription medication information
photo of you and your pet together to help prove ownership
pet carrier, cage or crate
supply of food and water to last at least 72 hours with bowls
waste bags, litter box/tray with litter, bedding materials, and other sanitation supplies
blankets, towels and toys
Tip: store your pet items in the carrier or crate to make it easy to find and grab.
Having farm animals and livestock brings unique challenges during an emergency. When building your emergency plan, consider the following:
Build a map and outline the buildings on the property and note key services (power and water sources), access points, equipment locations and dangerous chemical storage. Include a map in each building.
Set a meeting place or muster point in case an evacuation is ordered. Make sure everyone knows the location(s) and ensure there is feed, water and shelter for any animals you can evacuate. Consider seasonal weather impacts.
Create safe transportation methods. If possible, practice loading and transporting your animals.
Create an emergency contact list that includes neighbours, animal handlers/transporters, veterinarians and feed suppliers. Post this list in each building.
When you are told to evacuate, it can be a difficult decision knowing you have farm animals and livestock. Remember that authorities will only ask you to leave your home if they have reason to believe you are in danger.
Evacuating with your animals takes time. If you have enough time and the right equipment – such as corrals, chutes and trailers – you can evacuate with your animals. If you have time, haul feed and water to the evacuation location if needed. Also, make sure your animals are marked with a visual identifier for easy identification; use a semi-permanent livestock marker to write your cell phone number or draw a unique mark on their body.
If you are not able to evacuate with your farm animals, it’s equally as important to mark your animals with a visual identifier. You’ll also want to leave at least 72 hours of food and water that doesn’t need power to function. If you have time, open gates or reroute fencing to create a large area for the animals to move. Don’t keep animals in your barn; once they are out, keep the barn doors closed to prevent animals from going back inside where there could get trapped.
SREMP is a partnership between Sturgeon County, Morinville, Gibbons, Redwater, Bon Accord and Legal. These municipalities work together to coordinate emergency preparedness, response and recovery from disasters.
Stay safe by staying in-the-know: Get Emergency Notifications
When there’s an emergency, being informed can save your life.
Emergencies can happen quickly and at any time. In the winter months, these emergencies can include blizzards, extreme cold and power and water outages. Knowing where to get the information you need helps you keep yourself and your loved ones safe.
Emergency alerts
Alberta Emergency Alert
Did you know the next test of the Alberta Emergency Alert system is on the first day of wildfire season? On March 1st at 1:55pm, a test alert will be issued. Use the test alert to start conversations with your household about where you were when the alert was issued, and how ready you would have been if it had been real.
Want to be more prepared? The Government of Alberta developed the Be Prepared program to help. Visit alberta.ca/BePrepared to learn more.
Alberta Emergency Alert is Alberta's emergency alerting system. Communities, including Sturgeon Regional Emergency Management Partnership (SREMP) member municipalities, use this system when an emergency is occurring or will occur. These emergency alerts provide life-saving instructions.
In addition to being broadcast on television and radio and posted on social media, these alerts can be sent to your cell phone or tablet. Download the Alberta Emergency Alert app from the Apple Store or Google Play store, or text FollowAB_EmergAlert to 21212 to sign up for text notifications.
Alert Ready
Alert Ready is Canada’s national alerting system. It automatically sends life-saving emergency alerts through television, radio and compatible mobile devices. If you have a compatible mobile device, you are automatically signed up to get these important alerts when there is a threat to your safety.
Weather alerts
Weather advisories – including extreme cold warnings, snowfall warnings, tornado watches and more – are issued by Environment and Climate Change Canada when severe weather poses a threat to Canadians. Download the WeatherCAN app on your smartphone or tablet from the Apple Store or Google Play store.
Health alerts
Health advisories are issued by Alberta Health Services when there is a risk to the general population or more at-risk groups, like children, seniors and those with certain health conditions. These advisories include air quality advisories, heat advisories, blue-green algae advisories, boil water advisories and more.
Fire alerts
Fire advisories, restrictions and bans are issued when there is increased risk of a fire and action is needed to prevent urban fires and/or wildfires. Fire advisories, restrictions and bans are posted to Alberta Fire Bans; call the Alberta Fire Bans information line at 1-866-FYI-FIRE (1-866-394-3473). Download the Alberta Fire Bans app on your smartphone or tablet from the Apple Store or Google Play store.
Alberta Wildfire also posts the latest updates on the status of all wildfires burning in Alberta. Report a wildfire by calling toll-free to 310-FIRE (310-3473). Download the Alberta Wildfire app on your smartphone or tablet from the Apple Store or Google Play store.
SREMP is a partnership between Sturgeon County, Morinville, Gibbons, Redwater, Bon Accord and Legal. These municipalities work together to coordinate emergency preparedness, response and recovery from disasters.
Preparedness Survey of Albertans
Did you know that the 2022 Preparedness Survey of Albertans confirmed that more people are concerned about hazards but taking fewer actions to reduce their risk? One of the top reasons for not being prepared was a lack of information.
The Government of Alberta developed the Be Prepared program to help. Visit alberta.ca/BePrepared to learn more.
My Alberta Emergency Registration System (MAERS)
By being able to register online as soon as an emergency is declared, Albertans can quickly access government services. The My Alberta Emergency Registration System (MAERS) also removes the need for in-person contact.
When an emergency is declared, Albertans who need to evacuate will be directed to register online through the MAERS website (https://emergencyregistration.alberta.ca). Albertans without internet access or those having trouble with online access can call the Government of Alberta call centre (310-4455) to register over the phone.
Government and local municipal emergency management leaders use the information collected through the online registration system to support Alberta families who have had to leave their homes during an emergency evacuation. The MAERS helps government and local municipalities monitor the number of families registered and assess emergency social service needs. For example, residents may need a place to stay, their pets may need to be collected and cared for, and their families may need food, finances and other essential supplies.
How do I find out if there is an emergency happening in my area?
During an event it is extremely important to keep informed with accurate and timely information. Emergency response teams will work very hard at providing that information through a number of channels and you are encouraged to use them all. The Town of Legal has a number of ways to communicate with residents during an emergency:
In the event of a disaster
Alberta Emergency Alerts. Alberta Emergency Alerts will be used for a large scale disaster only. Starting April 6, 2018 notifications will be sent to cell phones that are compatible with wireless public alerting. Learn more about the Wireless Public Alerting system.
on the NC CAER UPDATEline at 1-866-653-9959; provides information on current industrial site activities in the region that you may be curious about, such as unusual loud noises or alarms, prolonged flares, smoke or fire, traffic levels coming to and from a plant or smells that are prolonged. Industry is responsible for posting information about training or drills which may affect surrounding neighbourhoods.
door-to-door visits by emergency personnel (if necessary)
Learn how to build your own Emergency Preparedness Kit. By taking a few simple steps today, you can become better prepared to face a range of emergencies. Individuals and families should be prepared to be self-sufficient for a minimum of 72 hours.
Pet Preparedness
Natural Disasters & Emergencies can happen at any point in time and being prepared can save lives! If you are one of the millions of Canadians with pets: Our pets are part of our families and we want to make sure you and your pets are ready in the event of a disaster or emergency.
Being prepared to take your pet in emergency situations can make it much easier in the event of having to evacuate with your pets. Pets should not be left behind if at all possible. If it’s not safe for you, it’s not safe for them.
Visit www.getprepared.gc.ca for information on how to keep your pets safe, and click here for a checklist on what to have ready for your pets.
