Thread by @JWongGlobalNews

Final after action report of Strathcona County response to parkade explosions incl areas of improvement: components of emergency mgmt plans and readiness, components of incident mgmt (clarifying roles/responsibilities), components of crisis communication (timely release of 1/2

2/2 statement to the public) and components of business continuity (risk assessment and impact analysis): page 15 - pub-strathcona.escribemeetings.com/filestream.ash… #shpk #yeg

"While the County has an effective corporate communications capability, there is a need
for a more integrated community approach to crisis communications and related plans," acdg to pg 17 of the report. #shpk #yeg

"The Public Information Officer (PIO) and the EOC Director had a holding message for release to the public within hours of the Parkade Incident. They held on to that message waiting on coordination with the RCMP 1/2

rather, they should have released a County focused message to the public at an earlier point demonstrating the County was responding, was working with the RCMP, and would follow-up in the hours to come," acdg to pg 17 of the report. 2/2 @#shpk #yeg

I'm inside council chambers now where the after action report is now being presented. #shpk #yeg

Recommendations in the report include reinforcing the role of the emergency advisory committee and emergency mgmt agency to optimize their roles during major incidents, adopt practices for emergency mgmt, business continuity and crisis mgmt. #shpk #yeg

There is also a recommendation to increase annual and ongoing education, training and exercises to ensure emergency mgmt plans can be executed. #shpk #yeg

Presenters specifically mention the need for the timely release of information to the public during their presentation. #shpk #yeg

Other key findings involve clear protocols to alert the incident mgmt team, unified command when there is more than one jurisdiction, documenting and organizing incident information. #shpk #yeg

"I think it's impt to note your crisis communications plan was in development" during the parkade incident, presenters said. He said that's a positive step and said the county needs to continue to enhance that. #yeg #shpk

He says Strathcona County alerts should be used to notify key stakeholders on a timely basis. #shpk #yeg

Presenters say stabilization of the scene was the most challenging aspect of the early days/hours of the incident. #shpk #Yeg

He touts how the county was prepared to still continue offering municipal services to residents. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 says the incident was very shocking for the community and calls it unprecedented. He thanks the community, the staff who were displaced and first responders. #yeg #shpk

@RodFrank12 @RodFrank12 highlights how safety was ensured during the incident. He says there were concerns early on about communications and notes the report says there could be improvements.

@RodFrank12 He asks what type of communication would have been optimal and what would have met residents' needs? Presenter says immediate information is a challenge for any organization. He says the county's ability to provide even some, limited information could have helped

@RodFrank12 Presenter says concerns around communication have come out around other incidents in the US. He says getting out a concise message as early as possible is important. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 @RodFrank12 says there was communciation internally, asks if that was looked at. Presenter said there was communication going on behind the scenes and between county staff. He says the more managed and organized that approach is will optimize everyone's overall awareness

@RodFrank12 @RodFrank12 says safety was the overriding concern. Presenter says it has to be noted there was a lot of communication at scene, btw emergency responders. In the days, weeks, months following the presenter said there was evidence of well defined crisis communication

@RodFrank12 Councillor Berghofer is asking about the Emergency Ops Centre. Presenter says there was a gap in the EOC and that there were ppl who weren't optimally trained in those roles. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 "...the County could have issued a media statement a
few hours earlier on the evening of November 6, 2018, even if only a holding statement advising the community that the County had a full response to the incident and was
working closely with the RCMP," acdg to pg 30. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 "It is apparent the delay was due to the County who sought to coordinate with the RCMP the facts of the situation – facts that could not be fully stated on November 6," acdg to pg 30 of the report. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 "...such a statement would not have changed the response and recovery to the Parkade Incident. While an earlier media statement, may have contributed to awareness of the incident for the community... the County and RCMP were focused on public safety," acdg to pg 30 of the report.

@RodFrank12 Administration will now present to council. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 Administration accepts all of the recommendations in the report and will be implementing them. They will present updates to council. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 Fire Chief Jeff Hutton says the crisis communications plan has been updated, there were conversations with key stakeholders to verify the crisis communication process and the emergency social services manual has been updated. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 Hutton said a business continuity plan for the emergency communications centre has been completed and the emergency ops centre guide has been updated. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 Hutton outlines a 3 month, 6 month and 12 month plan to implement the recommendations. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 .@RodFrank12 wants to make a motion for administration to develop a multi-year implementation plan based on the recommendations of the report. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 Councillor Parks says it is critical that council accept criticisms and concerns from residents. He says it's impt to take the learnings so the county can move fwd and be better prepared in the future. #shpk #yeg

@RodFrank12 .@RodFrank12's motion passes. #shpk #yeg