Edmonton dedicates building to disaster evacuation operations

The City of Edmonton's Rapid Emergency Support Terminal, which will help evacuees from wildfires and other disasters, is up and running.

In times of crisis, Edmonton will now help evacuees out of a dedicated space north of downtown.

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The city on Wednesday announced the semi-permanent facility at 10908 120 Ave. NW.

The city’s Emergency Support Response Team operates an evacuation reception centre, officially called a rapid emergency support terminal (REST), when asked to by the Alberta Emergency Management Agency or another municipality.

“Supports go (to) everything from registration, coordination of accommodations, food and water referrals to other services,” city manager Eddie Robar told reporters. “We have pet services here and a place where people can rest and obviously recharge, and not only that, get connected to insurance providers through these hard times that people go through.”

Most recently, the REST was activated after an apartment complex fire displaced more than 250 people.

The building doesn’t have a defined capacity, officials said. The city can expand it by opening the back doors and putting up tents.

Last year, Edmonton helped 4,700 wildfire evacuees from Jasper and the R.M. of Wood Buffalo.

“We’re definitely prepared to help our neighbours, Edmontonians in the city itself, and really look forward to making sure as much as we can (that) we don’t have to use this place,” Robar told reporters.

Evacuees can register, receive help finding semi-permanent accommodation, receive essential supplies and more at the centre.