The City’s Emergency Operations Committee is at the heart of events like the wildfire evacuee situation now taking place.

The EOC is lead by Lawrence McDonald who works in conjunction with City Manager Anthony McInnis and Director of Technical Services, Lyle Safronetz.

On City Beat yesterday, Mayor Colleen Smook shared how the process works.

“They called together an emergency measure organization, they sent up a couple of people right off the hop to work with us. A Red Cross has stepped up so you get ready in preparation ‘cause we also have Cross Lake and Wabowden that has fires started so we didn’t know what would happen exactly, if we were going to get any of those evacuees. You have to be prepared for whatever comes.”

Around 400 cots were set up in the C.A. Nesbitt Arena on Monday night in preparation to receive the evacuees.

Smook said typically every space in the city is used and once they hit capacity, they reach out to other communities.