The County of Grande Prairie is encouraging livestock owners to be mindful of the county’s Livestock Emergency Response Plan ahead of the anticipated 2024 wildfire season.
According to the county, livestock owners must consider wildfires, floods, motor vehicle incidents, and other disaster scenarios heading into the warm season, and the plan adds to the existing Emergency Preparedness plan with an emphasis on domestic animals.
Livestock owners in the county are asked to register animals and equipment to help the county respond during an emergency by giving crews a better understanding of the resources required to allocate during a disaster.
“The type, location, and timing of the incident will determine how we use the plan,” the county says.
Officials say one of the “most important” factors for emergency responders is knowing the exact amount of domestic animals in a location and how many residents will need assistance such as transportation and feeding.
The county says there is no minimum livestock requirement to join the program and registration is not strictly limited to cattle producers and is open to all residents with domestic animals of any kind.
Interested residents can register online on the county’s website.