HIGH RIVER, AB: High River Town Council have approved a policy that will provide clear direction on how and when sandbags will be used during an emergency. In the new policy, sandbags will not be distributed to High River residents and will be reserved to protect critical Town infrastructure.
“We needed a new clearly defined policy around sandbags”, said Mayor Craig Snodgrass. “This policy formalizes that the Town will not be responsible for providing sandbags to residents and will only have sandbags on hand to protect Town infrastructure.”
Protecting the Town’s critical infrastructure remains the most important priority for emergency response, including the allocation of sandbags. Town facilities, lift stations and other essential areas will be the first to receive sandbags, should the need arise.
“We can only store a certain amount of sandbags as they deteriorate over time,” explained Mark Eckley, assistant director of fire services and emergency response. “Therefore it’s important to ensure there are sufficient supplies allocated for these critical areas.”
“We have built 8 km of berms and dykes to protect our town from flooding,” said Snodgrass. “Residents that feel the need to have sandbags on hand will now be responsible for supplying their own. We are very lucky to have the new infrastructure in place to protect our town, sandbagging days are now a thing of the past.”
For more information on the Town’s emergency management program visit www.highriver.ca under the Residents menu.