Big turnout for Regional Emergency Management Agency Tabletop Exercise

On September 19th, the Town of Cardston hosted a successful Regional Tabletop Exercise as part of ongoing efforts to enhance emergency preparedness. The Town is a member of the Regional Emergency Management Partnership, which includes Cardston County, the Town of Magrath, and the Villages of Glenwood and Hill Spring. Together, these municipalities have formed a Regional Emergency Management Agency under the leadership of the Regional Director of Emergency Management (RDEM).

With support from the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, the RDEM has been leading training sessions focused on managing regional emergencies using the Incident Command System (ICS), a standardized approach used across North America. The ICS structure allows for flexible and scalable response coordination, with roles clearly defined to ensure efficient management of personnel, equipment, and resources. A key element of this system is Unified Command, which brings together representatives from different agencies to collaboratively lead the response effort while maintaining individual responsibilities.

This recent tabletop exercise was in preparation for a Functional Exercise scheduled for October 24th, where a real-time emergency scenario will involve all stakeholders. The Functional Exercise will be a full-scale test of regional capabilities, with participants responding as if the event were an actual emergency. The exercise will include setting up a Command Centre, conducting mock media briefings with the assistance of media students from Lethbridge Polytechnic, and practicing decision-making under pressure.

Community stakeholders, including the Westwind School Division, hospital representatives, and senior care home administrators, participated in the tabletop exercise, underscoring the importance of collaboration across sectors. The presence of Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs) and council representatives from all member municipalities reinforced the region’s commitment to a unified, coordinated approach to emergency management. The South Region field officer for the Alberta Emergency Management Agency, Charity Schweitzer, who facilitated the tabletop, said it was one of the best turnouts she'd ever seen at an exercise like this. 

These efforts are crucial as the region continues to prepare for potential emergencies, ensuring that both local authorities and community partners are ready to act quickly and effectively. The lessons learned from this tabletop exercise will help refine plans ahead of the upcoming Functional Exercise, positioning the Regional Emergency Management Agency to respond efficiently to any crisis.