With so many people preparing to take in the Canada Day Parade and the festivities at Chinook Winds, safety is a top priority.

Lynda McLean, Team Leader for Corporate Communications with the City, says much thought has been put into keeping the population safe if an emergency situation occurs during today's Canada Day celebration.

McLean explained that any organizer planning a large event has to apply for their event with the City, and part of that process includes preparing an emergency response plan. Once the emergency response plan is submitted, it is reviewed by the technical review team, which includes members of Airdrie Fire, the RCMP and Municipal Enforcement as well as the City's Communication team, Parks department and Public Works.

In the case of Canada Day, McLean said plans for the events have been in the works for about a year, and there have been many meetings with the organizers, Airdrie Parades and Fireworks, to ensure things are fun and safe.

Municipal Enforcement and RCMP will be on scene in case a worst case scenario does occur. If an evacuation needs to happen, the police have the ability to change the light sequence at traffic signals near the park to get people out as fast as possible.

The City also has an emergency operation centre prepared in case an emergency occurs. That centre allows the City to respond quickly and help the RCMP and Airdrie Fire manage manage the situation.

 

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