'People are on edge': Lessons learned after 2023 wildfire and flood evacuations in Edson
People living in Edson were forced to flee their homes twice last spring.
"We refer to them as emergencies one, two and three," said Edson's Mayor, Kevin Zahara.
The town 195 kilometres west of Edmonton was evacuated twice due to wildfires, then was hit by flooding.
"We're approaching the one-year anniversary of what occurred in our community and it's very dry outside," Zahara said.
"People are on edge," he said, adding "we just cross our fingers that we don't have to face the same sort of situation."
But if they do, Zahara said the town is in a better position to deal with it.
The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
An 'after action report' was completed, which outlined things the municipality needed to work on.
Zahara said prior to the 2023 evacuations, none of the town's staff had any formal training to deal with emergencies.
"All of our staff now have some sort of training in incident command response, and we also have a number of employees that have advanced training now," he said.
Through donations from industry, he said the Edson Fire Department has more equipment to respond to wildfires this year.
"As well, we are in the process of procuring a structural protection unit for our fire department," said Zahara.
"It was actually in the budget last year prior to the wildfires, but unfortunately, we did not have it acquired in time."
Emergency social services training was also offered to volunteers in the event Edson becomes an evacuation location.
Through a grant, the town was also able to clear trees and debris to reduce wildifre risk.
Zahara said even residents are preparing for whatever this wildfire season brings.
"They have an emergency kit ready to go. There's others that have saved up funds, that are concerned they might have to be evacuated again and what kind of financial impact that's going to have on them," he said.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fatal plane crash reported near Squamish, B.C.
The Transportation Safety Board of Canada has confirmed it is working with local Mounties and the BC Coroners Service after a plane crash near Squamish, B.C. Friday night.
Grayson Murray, two-time PGA Tour winner, dead at 30
Two-time PGA Tour winner Grayson Murray died Saturday morning at age 30, one day after he withdrew from the Charles Schwab Cup Challenge at Colonial.
Humboldt Broncos crash victims and families react to decision to deport truck driver
The family of one of the victims of the Humboldt Broncos bus crash in 2018 says they are 'thankful' for a decision by a Calgary immigration board to deport the driver of the truck involved.
Community mourns victims of fatal boat crash near Kingston, Ont.
The three people killed in last weekend's tragic collision between a speedboat and a fishing boat north of Kingston are being remembered Friday.
'God forgives but we don’t': Loud outburst from stabbing victim’s family during sentencing hearing
An emotional outburst in a London, Ont. courtroom Friday disrupted the sentencing hearing of a woman who pleaded guilty for her part in the death of 29-year-old Mohammed Abdallah.
American Airlines drops law firm that said a 9-year-old girl should have seen camera on toilet seat
American Airlines has replaced the law firm that told a judge a nine-year-old girl was negligent in not noticing there was a camera phone taped to the seat in an airplane lavatory.
Family of toddler found dead at small-town Ont. daycare no closer to answers after year of investigation
A year has passed since two-year-old Vienna Irwin was found on the property of a home-based daycare in small-town Ontario, but her family says they are no closer to answers of what happened that day.
Nicki Minaj's England concert postponed after rapper was detained by Dutch authorities over pot
Nicki Minaj's concert in Manchester scheduled for Saturday night was postponed after police in the Netherlands discovered marijuana in her bags as she was preparing to leave the country.
1 dead, 3 in hospital after flying wheel crashes into bus windshield on QEW
A man is dead, and three others are in hospital after a flying wheel crashed into a coach bus on the QEW in St. Catharines.