No one ever plans an emergency situation but you can plan to be prepared should you ever find yourself faced with an emergency. Preparedness first requires that you become familiar with the Emergency Services available in your area. Emergency services include; Fire Rescue, EMS (Emergency Medical) and Police.
Initial reporting of an emergency triggers a series of events. The first step is yours. Time is crucial and being prepared can save valuable time and, in fact, affect the outcome of the situation.
Fire, Emergency Medical and Emergency Police services are all accessed through 911.
DO NOT use this number for non emergencies.
Alberta operates a province wide 911 Emergency call system. Strategically located call centers throughout the province receive all 911 calls. The Dispatcher in your area then alerts the Emergency Service Provider closest to the location of the emergency. In many areas, ENHANCED 911 service (911E), is available. This feature enables the call center to identify the location of the telephone being used to make the call for help, provided that the phone being used is a landline (one connected by wire to a phone service). 911E does not work with cell phones or other wireless communications systems such as VOIP services. This means that the emergency call center cannot tell where you are calling from. The public would be well advised to familiarize themselves with their phone service and any limitations affecting emergency phone calls.
The Mundare area is served by a dispatch center located in Strathcona County.
Most people who place that initial call for emergency assistance are not adequately prepared for such a call. The 911 operator will require information from the caller to determine the resources required to handle the emergency. That information will include but may not be limited to, an exact location of the incident i.e. municipal address, county address (twp/range) or in the event of a highway vehicle incident, as close an estimate that you can provide. In some cases, landmarks can be helpful. If the incident occurs off road, have someone wait at the nearest roadway to direct emergency personnel to the site.
Take the time to gather pertinent details of the incident. The 911 operator will ask for the location of the incident; how many people are involved and whether vehicle collision victims are trapped, what kind of structure is involved, in the case of fire and any other relevant information you can provide. NEVER hang up on the 911 operator. He/she will terminate the call when adequate information is received. In some instances you may be required to remain on the line or you may be asked to leave a call back number. Do not panic. The Operator will guide you through this difficult but most important call.
Remember: when you dial 911, the person receiving your call is most likely unfamiliar with your area. Don’t assume anything. The more precise the information you provide, the better prepared Emergency Responders will be.
Fire Protection/Suppression, Rescue and basic Emergency Medical services are provided by the MUNDARE VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENT. Consisting of about 20 members from the community, the service responds to all emergencies within their service area which includes the Town of Mundare and surrounding area (see map). Well equipped and proficient in firefighting and rescue operations, our volunteers are your first line of defence. If you are in need of Emergency Medical assistance, Mundare Volunteers will respond and will provide basic life support until an ambulance arrives.
An ambulance (Prairie EMS) will respond from its base of operations in the Town of Lamont. Response time to Mundare is approximately 15 minutes.
The closest RCMP detachment is located in Vegreville with emergency response time to Mundare within eight to ten minutes.
There does come a time however, when any emergency service provider is unable to respond to every situation. They may out of service attending to another emergency or may find themselves overwhelmed by an incident, in which case they will request assistance from another agency or neighbouring Fire Department or ambulance service. This ability to depend on outside assistance is possible due to an arrangement known as a Mutual Aid Agreement. Lamont County has such an agreement with Minburn County, Beaver County, County of Smoky Lake, County of Two Hills and the County of Strathcona. The Agreement also requires the Mundare Volunteer Fire Department to provide assistance to its Mutual Aid partners when requested and able to do so.
You can help yourself or you can help others by becoming a Mundare Volunteer Firefighter.
Contact the Mundare Volunteer Fire Department by calling:
To view the Mundare service area click on this link; http://www.lamontcounty.ca/images/stories/fire_districts_map.pdf
You can also help yourself in other ways; install and maintain Smoke Alarms in your home, take a First Aid course, learn to perform CPR and always, work and play safely.
Do you live on a farm or acreage?
Alberta Sustainable Resources has created a program called FIRE SMART. It describes a number of steps you can take to protect your property from the devastation of wildfires. You can pick up a copy of FIRE SMART at the Mundare Town Office.