| August 26, 2011 Guest Speaker Brian McAsey, Calgary Firefighters in Slave Lake.
Bill Lawless introduced our guest speaker from the Calgary Fire Department, Brian McAsey.
Some notes about the fire at Slave Lake and the task of co-ordinating the firefighters.
THE BLAZE:
- Consumed one-third of the buildings on lots in the town.
- 1,500 people were fighting the fire.
- The hospital was ordered evacuated at 3:08 AM.
- Our fire department assisted in the co-ordination.
- All communication infrastructure was destroyed.
- The Calgary Fire Department answers 60,000 events a year.
- This was the largest fire in Alberta's history.
- It cost a quarter-billion dollars to fight the blaze.
- The cost was borne by provincial and federal taxpayers.
- It is the second-largest insurance disaster in Canada, next to the Quebec ice storm.
- How do you control the Office of the PM and Premier? Answer: Carefully!
- 100 fires going at one time.
Fire fighting units came from all over. Following 9/11, three separate action squads were set up across the country to handle such emergencies. The effectiveness of these units proved invaluable. Our fire
department's expertise was appreciated.
David Hamilton thanked our speaker and gave him the Club's Boltman.
reported by Don Axford |
