Nearly a year following the rupture of Calgary’s largest water feeder main, the city has compiled a breakdown of its response strengths and areas needing improvement for potential future emergencies. A report detailing the lessons learned from the catastrophic Bearspaw south feeder main break was presented to city council on Tuesday.
The incident, which occurred on June 5, triggered a local state of emergency, jeopardizing the city’s water supply and resulting in water restrictions for Calgary and surrounding areas for several months. The city’s recently released report highlights the threat posed to Calgarians, critical customers like hospitals, and neighboring communities during the crisis.
City administration conducted surveys and consultations with staff from the emergency operations center and water tactical operations center to produce the report. It describes the event as one of the most significant critical infrastructure emergencies faced by the city, placing a strain on over 700 city personnel involved in the response efforts.
While the report praises the dedication and competence of staff members who worked tirelessly to maintain operations, it also points out the need for more specialized expertise to handle such emergencies in the future. Addressing staff burnout during crises remains an ongoing concern, as noted by Sue Henry, chief of the Calgary Emergency Management Agency.
Recommendations in the report include hiring additional staff with expertise and establishing a clear plan for scaling up staff numbers during emergencies. City council members echoed the need for better clarity on roles and responsibilities during crises.
The report also emphasizes the importance of public communication and effective collaboration. Despite initial confusion among residents when the water main broke, the use of multiple communication channels helped change public behavior regarding water consumption. However, the report suggests that the city could have improved by providing clearer messaging about the complexity of the situation.
Mayor Jyoti Gondek acknowledged the city’s shortcomings in communicating during the initial days of the emergency and emphasized the importance of transparency and immediate information sharing. The report highlights the need for crisis communication training for staff acting as spokespeople during emergencies.
To strengthen its emergency response, the city is implementing initiatives based on the lessons learned from the feeder main break. This includes updating the municipal emergency plan, enhancing crisis communications capabilities, and enhancing safety and wellness initiatives for staff involved in emergency events. An independent review of the feeder main failure is still ongoing under the leadership of Siegfried Kiefer.