INUVIK
After an emergency planning workshop held last week, Inuvik should be in better shape to handle a crisis such as a gas outage.

Mayor Floyd Roland helped lead an emergency planning and response workshop Oct. 28. About 25 people attended the seminar that explored how the town would handle a gas outage. - Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

That was the take of Fire Chief Jim Sawkins, who organized the one-day workshop that attracted about 25 people from around town, including government officials and business people.

The scenarios faced by the participants revolved around the town's ongoing energy uncertainty, particularly for heat. For almost two years, Inuvik Gas has been trucking in synthetic natural gas (SNG) for heating purposes, rather than relying on the Ikhil gas field, which has been contaminated by water.

Sawkins asked the participants how they would handle a situation where the Dempster Highway wouldn't be open to traffic due to a ferry outage for a prolonged period.

To make things more difficult as the day wore on, he tossed in futher problems, such as the NWT Power Corporation generating station going down as well.

Since the ferry at Tsiigehtchic was not in service for several days last week, the scenario wasn't improbable at all.

After the sessions wrapped up, Sawkins said he was quite satisfied with the outcome.

"I thought it went great," he said. "I had an idea of where I was taking the exercise, and there were some things that came out of the exercise that were better (than expected). They were able to correct the problems, so I had to take the exercises in a different way.

"Although there's a lot of things I want to check, post-exercise, there were a lot of things I learned, and they were a lot more prepared than I thought."

Sawkins said the last similar exercise was done two years ago, but he's planning on making it at least an annual event.

"We won't wait for two years to do it again," he said. "We'll be doing an annual event, and the funny thing is that's what was mandated in Ontario after 9/11 when they rejigged their entire emergency plan."

Arlene Jorgenson, the new chief administrative officer at the Beaufort Delta Health and Social Services Authority, said she was very pleased with the workshop.

"I thought it was very valuable, and what impressed me the most was that in every scenario that came along, we found a way through it without having to evacuate or go into a significant crisis mode," she said. "So it reassured me that we are prepared for an emergency."

Brad Driscoll, the general manager of Inuvik Gas, was also optimistic.

"I think it went very well. I liked the way all of the groups were brought in, especially some of the groups on the periphery. I think it's important to know, even if you are only one part of it, how your part wraps into everyone else's. I think that's a good takeaway from that."

Sawkins said some of the potential problems identified in the exercise are either already being looked into or things he will be trying to address.

That includes the town's grocery stores, which "don't have any long-term plans if there was an event," he said.

Without a way to power their coolers for a sustained period, much of the frozen food would likely spoil if it couldn't be sold off quickly, the discussion revealed.

"I'll work with them on that," he said.

Inuvik Gas currently lacks an independent backup power system, Driscoll and Sawkins said, meaning in the event of a prolonged power outage, no gas could flow from any source.

While most gas-powered appliances wouldn't function without power, some, such as gas fireplaces, would, so long as there is fuel to tap into. For some people, that would be a crucial point.

Sawkins said the company is currently working on correcting that problem.

Several interesting facts came out, he added.

One of the most surprising is that the Ikhil pipeline itself holds enough gas to serve the town for a few days to a week, independent of the well. With the proper equipment, that gas could be pumped into the town in an emergency.

Sawkins said that was something that no one knew about, except Inuvik Gas.

The power corporation plant, which uses a stand-alone liquid natural gas system as a pilot project, could also provide fuel to the town if necessary for a heating system. That supply could last three to five days. The plant holds enough diesel in storage to run for months, if necessary.

Evacuation of the town would be possible if the situation grew dire enough, Sawkins said, but planning measures indicate it would be more feasible and less expensive to fly supplies of fuel in to maintain basic services.

Several major public buildings, including government offices, have also been retrofitted to work independently of the gas system, which would help minimize the drain on the gas reserves.

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