Photo: Predator Ridge/Shawn Talbot

Staff is urging Vernon city council to support a request by the Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee for an emergency siren.

Council will discuss the matter at their regular council meeting today.

At the June 13 council meeting, Gordon Wilson, with the committee, told council the community wants to implement another way to alert its residents of an approaching wildfire.

Wilson said the committee wants to take the extra measure to avoid loss of life suffered in other communities where residents were caught unaware

Staff is urging support of the proposal with the following provisions:

• The initiative be conducted as a three-year pilot;
• The Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee assists the Vernon Fire Rescue Services Emergency Program with on-going public communication about the siren, such that an effective communication strategy is implemented prior to the siren being placed in service;
• Visible clear signage is installed, in key locations throughout the Predator Ridge community including the golf course and Sparkling Hill, as part of the communication strategy and funding is provided by the Predator Ridge Community Emergency Management Committee to cover these costs as part of the initiative;
• System testing occurs once a month in April, May, June, July, August and September of each year;
• The system is placed in service no sooner than April 1, 2023, to provide staff with time to ensure all supporting systems, training, testing, processes and communication plans can be implemented.

The acquisition and installation of an emergency alert siren would come at no cost to the city, as it would be paid for by residents, the developer and Sparkling Hill Resort.