Avens calls for greater GNWT collaboration in evacuation review

A seniors community in Yellowknife has issued a series of recommendations for the territorial government and itself following the city’s wildfire evacuation this past summer.

While the full report has not been made public, Avens shared a five-page summary document on Friday reviewing the evacuation response. It outlined challenges during the evacuation and what could be done to improve planning, communication, transportation, accommodation, logistics, care, and administrative tasks in future emergencies.

“Our community is stronger and safer when we work together,” Daryl Dolynny, president and chief executive officer of Avens was quoted as saying in a news release.

“By prioritizing communication, staff training and collaboration, we aim to continually improve our emergency preparedness for the well-being of our residents and peace of mind for families.”

Avens noted wildfire planning earlier in the summer with the NWT government and City of Yellowknife had focused on supporting other communities if they were evacuated to Yellowknife, or if some Yellowknife residents had to be relocated to another area of the city.

Until the end of July, Avens said, it understood that if a full evacuation of its long-term care residents was required, that would be handled by the NWT Health and Social Services Authority, or NTHSSA.

“It was not until the end of July that Avens was informed that it was fully responsible for all aspects of evacuation planning and implementation,” the agency noted in its summary report, saying it began putting together an evacuation plan on August 1.

It said that plan including arranging flights to transport residents, determining a destination location, outlining staff roles and responsibilities, and identifying emergency accommodations for 57 residents as well as care staff.

The plan also took into account several long-term care residents from Fort Smith and Hay River who had already been evacuated to Yellowknife.

The territory ordered all residents to evacuate Yellowknife and surrounding areas on August 16.

A ‘barrage of unforeseen and unanticipated events’

Avens said it was about as ready as it could be in the circumstances. In its summary report it said while the evacuation was successful, it was not without challenges and “a continual barrage of unforeseen and unanticipated events.”

Residents remained in good health and spirits over the three- week evacuation, Avens said. It said, “this positive outcome was achieved in spite of a lack of engagement and support from the City of Yellowknife and the GNWT.”

“The Avens team pulled off an incredible feat, organizing the complete evacuation of 57 long-term care residents in less than two weeks, including arranging transportation, finding available accommodations in seniors’ facilities, and putting in place all the services needed to keep our residents comfortable and safe during the evacuation,” Debbi Delancey, chair of Avens was quoted as saying.

Many of the recommendations in Avens’ summary report focus on the organization’s sense that engagement and support from its municipal and territorial partners could be improved. 

Avens wants planning documents – including its contract with the NTHSSA, the NWT’s emergency plan, and other protocols –to explicitly cover who is responsible for vulnerable populations during an evacuation. 

The agency itself plans to develop a series of evacuation checklists and compile a list of other service agencies it can lean on in the event of another evacuation.

Many of the recommendations also speak to essential workers’ responsibilities during an evacuation. 

Avens called on the city and GNWT to use more specific messaging aimed at essential workers when issuing evacuation orders and alerts. It said Avens will ensure its staff “receive training in the concept of what it means to be an essential worker, and what obligations this creates.”

The organization also plans to develop a protocol for calling back workers in an emergency evacuation situation and to clarify how employees will be paid and how it will support staff who evacuate with residents. Avens has suggested working with NTHSSA to draft an agreement to share or redeploy staff to help in future emergency situations.

Avens has asked NTHSSA to take the lead on developing client care management protocols, and for the GNWT’s Emergency Management Organization to lead coordinating aircraft if another evacuation were to happen.

The NTHSSA told Cabin Radio it has received the full report from Avens and plans to review it. The health authority added it is participating in a Department of Health and Social Services wildfire response review, which will include input from Avens and other non-governmental organization partners.

The territory’s environment and community affairs departments have also committed to reviewing the response to the 2023 wildfire season.

Responding to Avens’ recommendations, the city said it would take them into account in its own “after action assessment” of Yellowknife’s evacuation. The city added they will also be seeking public feedback during a later stage of that assessment.