Emergency Management Professionals Train in Fort Sask to Enhance Alberta’s Emergency Preparedness

From March 3-7, 144 emergency management professionals, industry partners, municipal directors, and communicators from across Alberta are in Fort Saskatchewan for a week of position-specific training as part of the Incident Command System (ICS) Academy. Over the course of the week, participants will complete six ICS courses, with 24 students per course, each focused on specific emergency management roles essential to effective incident response.

Throughout the training, participants will develop the skills needed to manage large-scale emergencies, strengthening coordination between municipalities, industry, and government agencies.

The program will culminate on March 7 with a full-scale ICS simulation event at the Dow Centennial Centre (Lion’s Banquet Room) from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm. During the simulation, participants will put their training into action through a realistic emergency scenario, making real-time decisions and working through coordinated response efforts. To enhance realism, Simulation Cell Actors will portray key stakeholders, including municipal leaders, media, and bystanders, replicating the pressures of an actual emergency situation.

NRCAER is leading this event, with support from the City of Fort Saskatchewan’s Emergency Management team and Strathcona County. The Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) team will also be present.

"Emergency preparedness is critical to protecting Albertans. This event allows emergency professionals to refine their skills in real-time scenarios, ensuring they’re ready when real disasters strike. With industry, municipalities, and government working together, we’re strengthening Alberta’s emergency response capabilities." 
— Quinn Gillard, Deputy Chief of Emergency Management, City of Fort Saskatchewan Fire Department
 

Fort Saskatchewan, located just 15 minutes northeast of Edmonton along the North Saskatchewan River, is a vibrant hub for economic, recreational, and cultural activities. Nestled in the centre of Alberta’s Industrial Heartland and home to nearly 30,000 residents, the city offers many amenities, including a multi-use fitness facility, an aquatics centre, 80 km of trails, and high-performance arenas and fields. Cultural highlights include a 500-seat performing arts theatre, historic sites, a museum, and a replica of the 1875 Northwest Mounted Police Fort. Fort Saskatchewan is dedicated to fostering an inclusive community, providing a blend of experiences that welcomes everyone.

The city is situated in Treaty 6 Territory and Métis Nation of Alberta District 11. We recognize that we stand upon land that carries the footsteps of many Indigenous Peoples, including the Nehiyawak, Dene, Blackfoot, Saulteaux, Nakota Sioux, and Métis. The City honours the First Peoples of this land and is committed to fostering reconciliation through relationship building, knowledge gathering, and education.