North Battleford is continuing to play its role in housing evacuees during the wildfire crisis going on in the province’s north.
Emergency Social Services and the Canadian Red Cross were providing the necessary services, shelter, clothing and other needs of people affected by the fires, according to a city news release Monday.
The evacuees, mainly from La Loche and Turner Lake according to provincial officials, have been staying at hotels in North Battleford. The number of people staying in North Battleford has fluctuated in the range of 300-400 people over the last few days.
Meanwhile, the City of North Battleford Leisure Services Department is assisting in providing recreation for the evacuees.
According to North Battleford Fire chief Albert Headrick, “we as a city are assisting Red Cross and ESS with respect to providing recreational activities to keep our guests entertained.”
“Any facility within North Battleford such as the aquatic centre, the field house, the parks or anything like that, or any programs, as long as they go and show the wristband that they have, the wristband allows them to get in and they’ll be provided with the necessary skates or bathing suits and towels to take part in our facilities.”
Headrick said they have also been talking to a couple of other agencies to see if there’s more they could do for them.
“As a city we’re being very active and we’re lending our support and our facilities, or anything that they require. We’ve told them to give us a call and we’ll do our best to give them everything they need.”
That is not the only assistance being provided by the community. Headrick confirmed that both local fire departments in the Battlefords will be contributing to the firefighting effort up north.
Just this past weekend the fire department received a request for personnel and equipment they could send if needed to fight the wildfires.
Headrick confirmed he sat down with the Battleford fire chief, and both fire departments collectively came up with a list of personnel and equipment they could comfortably send, while also maintaining the present level of services for their communities.
North Battleford would send five personnel from its department, and Battleford would send five as well. The plan also is for two engines, a tanker and a wildland unit to be sent, according to Headrick.
Both fire departments still have adequate other personnel and equipment at their disposal, however, and have agreed to automatic aid in the event of a structure fire locally.
