Suzanne Oel – Division 4
Greetings! Sharing my News Update…
High Country Rural Crime Watch – 2024 AGM: Please hold the date on your calendar to join the 2024 HCRCWA AGM on Tuesday evening, March 12, 2024, starting at 7:00 pm at the Priddis Hall. After a short AGM business meeting, RCMP guests will share an update on what’s happening in the local detachment area and discuss fraud and scams. Q&A throughout. Refreshments will be served.
Fraud Prevention Month – March 2024: Check out some resources here: https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/competition-bureau-canada/en/fraud-and-scams/fraud-prevention-month
Foothills County Policing Community Survey: Foothills County, along with our local RCMP detachments, want to hear your thoughts on policing services within the County. You are invited to complete the survey. Please visit: www.surveymonkey.com/r/FZTN7JL
Rural Foothills Policing Committee: On February 13, 2024, our first meeting took place, where we had the pleasure of welcoming the new committee. Voting members include representatives from our three rural crime watches (Foothills, Okotoks area and High Country), two appointed Foothills residents as members- at-large, and two County Councillors. Non- voting members include our three RCMP Detachment representatives, Foothills County CAO, Director and/or Deputy- Director of Community & Emergency Services, and Legislative Services staff. At the meeting we reviewed the new Bylaw, which outlines the enactment, duties and responsibilities, composition of the committee, meetings, and effective date.
The purpose of the committee is to act as a liaison and facilitate communications between Foothills County Council, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachments that are responsive to lands within the County which include the High River, Okotoks and Diamond Valley detachments, and Foothills Patrol.
The committee shall:
- Act in an advisory capacity to the RCMP detachment commanders and Foothills Patrol with respect to policing of the municipality;
- Provide community feedback to the RCMP and Foothills Patrol concerning policing concerns and activities within the County;
- Cooperate and liaise with community groups in creating programs or pursuing initiatives to improve public safety;
- Assist the RCMP and Foothills Patrol in providing council with annual reports outlining activities, initiatives and future plans as they would relate to policing within the County.
Wildfire Awareness: Following our community Wildfire & FireSmart meeting, which was held on January 23, 2024, thought you may be interested to receive a few of the links that were referred to throughout the presentations. See the next few items…
2023 Alberta Wildfire stats: 1,088 wildfires. Causes: 381 lighting, 176 resident, 125 intentionally lit, 97 recreation, 85 powerline, 45 agriculture. Find the report here: https://open.alberta.ca/publications/alberta-wildfire-season-statistics
How to get a WILDFIRE ALERT on your cell phone: The “Alberta Emergency Alert App” is the primary alert App for all types of emergencies. You can subscribe to notices from “Foothills”, “Kananaskis”, “Tsuut’ina Nation” locations (and anywhere else you choose). If a fire reaches a threshold where there is concern for the fire escalating and affecting people and/or structures, the municipality(s) is notified by the attending fire departments. In the case of Foothills County, this would be the Foothills Fire Department and our partners. In the case of the Kananaskis Improvement District, Alberta Forestry provides notification. The affected municipality will immediately write an emergency alert message and send it out through the Alberta Emergency Alert App. You can download the App here: www.alberta.ca/alberta-emergency-alert.aspx
Check out Wildfire Apps & Online Maps: You can stay informed about wildfires in Alberta and in B.C. through their Apps or online maps via your computer. You can download the “Alberta Wildfire App” to your phone and enable push notifications. Note that the Alberta wildfire dashboard with the latest wildfire news is updated every three minutes.
Be sure that you have the latest version of the Wildfire App: https://open.alberta.ca/blog/?page_id=206
AB Wildfire Map online: https://www.alberta.ca/wildfire-status.aspx
BC Wildfire Map online: https://wildfiresituation.nrs.gov.bc.ca/map
Stay Informed: You can request updates about the “Calgary Forest Area”, including Kananaskis directly west of us, by signing up for email notifications: https://srd.web.alberta.ca/calgary-area-update
Find road conditions: https://511.alberta.ca/
Find out where the smoke is: Firesmoke.ca
Find Fire Ban status: www.albertafirebans.ca/
Be Prepared: Consider “FireSmarting” your home and property. www.firesmartalberta.ca (See the checklist & guide, here.)
https://firesmartcanada.ca/
www.alberta.ca/wildfire-preparedness.aspx
www.getprepared.gc.ca/index-en.aspx
Volunteers Needed: Hope you are able to take part in our local events this year! Congrats to all Community Associations and their volunteers for making these fun events happen. Please consider joining with the teams in our community to make a difference and to add your valuable perspective and a helping hand. Currently, we are looking for volunteers for the Treasurer of the Priddis-Red Deer Lake Recreation Board, and a Division 4 Representative to the Northwest Foothills Recreation Board. If you would like to know more about these positions and how to apply, please contact me.
For Other News & Updates:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CouncillorSuzanneOel/
Email: Suzanne.Oel@FoothillsCountyAB.ca
With Best Regards,
Suzanne
