Saskatchewan’s Public Safety Agency (SPSA) has created a web application designed to make it easier for residents and communities faced with emergency evacuation orders.
The ‘Saskatchewan Evacuation App’ (Sask Evac App at app.saskecs.ca) helps residents who have left their homes to stay connected to their communities and provide their leadership with essential information.
The app also helps leadership and decision-makers ensure that resources are appropriately available during an emergency.
The Sask Evac App collects basic contact information at no cost to communities or residents so appropriate support before, during and after the evacuation can be provided.
The new web app is now live and has already been rolled out in communities such as Creighton, Buffalo Narrows, and the resort village of Candle Lake. To best prepare for an event, Saskatchewan residents whose communities could be at risk are encouraged to pre-register themselves and their families: Registration takes less than five minutes.
Should a person or family need to evacuate their home community, residents who pre-registered can return to the Sask Evac App and verify their information.
"When an individual or family has to flee their home, events unfold rapidly," said Paul Merriman, minister of corrections, policing, and public safety.
“The Sask Evac App is designed to enhance safety during an emergency and can also be used proactively. It ensures that valuable time is not wasted in critical moments."
At the request of a community, the SPSA can provide provincial resources to ensure the safety of their citizens when a real and imminent threat exists.
“Evacuations are extremely disruptive to communities and families," said Marlo Pritchard. Pritchard is Saskatchewan’s Fire Commissioner and president of the SPSA.
"Our goal is to support people within home communities whenever possible, but in the event of an evacuation, the Sask Evac App will help ensure people receive the timely support they need."
Information gathered through Sask Evac App is securely hosted by the SPSA and shared with community leadership only when necessary.
Information is not disclosed to any third-party vendor.
Established in 2017, the SPSA is a treasury board crown corporation responsible for wildfire management, emergency management, Sask911, SaskAlert, the Civic Addressing Registry, the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program, and fire safety.
Communities interested in learning more about the Sask Evac App can contact spsaecs@gov.sk.ca.