Rankin Inlet (June 04/03) - It's the type of plan you spend a great deal of time preparing and hope you never have to use.

The hamlet of Rankin Inlet has its first new emergency services plan (bylaw #190) since the 1980s.

Rankin Inlet Coun. Robert Janes says the hamlet's emergency services plan will be put to the test during a simulated mock disaster in 2004. - Darrell Greer/NNSL photo

The plan was devised by Coun. Robert Janes, with the assistance of several community organizations.

Its development was financed by the Department of Community Government and Transportation.

Janes says there are many hazards today which simply didn't exist in the 1980s.

He says bigger buildings and increased air traffic topped the list of areas that needed to be revisited.

"The bylaw is, basically, a contingency plan for anytime a potential disaster or emergency situation strikes," says Janes.

"It addresses things like a major fire, a building collapse or an airplane going off of the end of the runway.

"In such situations, you want a plan in place that has your vehicles allocated, your medical supplies ready, and people knowing what their roles and responsibilities are."

The Nunavut Civil Emergency Measures Act and Hamlet Act both dictate that every community should have an emergency plan in place.

Janes says Rankin's new plan also covers such topics as primary care for individuals, their social welfare if displaced, the opening of evacuation centres if relocation is necessary and transporting those being evacuated.

"There are also security issues to be addressed to ensure the site is secure.

"And, the plan has a section on dealing with the press and developing a relationship with the media."

At the municipal level, the mayor is responsible for implementing an emergency services plan.

Should the situation be more than a municipality is capable of dealing with, a regional plan kicks in.

From there, responses are generated at the territorial and, finally, the federal levels.

Janes says a schedule of exercises is being set up to gauge the plan's effectiveness.

A paper exercise will be followed by a table-top exercise with a mock up of the community displayed, and an emergency situation simulated.

Finally, a simulated disaster is staged, which Janes says should happen in 2004.

"Our aim to stage the exercise next spring or summer, when we reach the level of capability required for a fully-simulated emergency."