IceStorm 98 Study

November 3, 1998.

Additional interview with Mayor Bennett.

Q: When did help begin to arrive?

GB About the middle of Thursday afternoon, individuals began to drop in at City Hall and offer help. This was apart from individual efforts and neighbours helping neighbours.

Kingston was talking to the Canadian Forces Base which was eager to help but could not until the request had gone through channels.

Outside help certainly had arrived by Friday morning. Toronto could not believe the extent of the help requested and Mayor Lastman sent a representative to report on the situation. He came, saw and called from the mayor’s office to Lastman on Thursday evening saying the problem was horrendous and to send all possible help. He believed some help started to move from Toronto that night, certainly Toronto crews were in Kingston Friday morning.

With regard to City hall as the emergency control centre, he believes it was the right one. Communications were bad but everyone knew where City hall was and it had an important symbolic role. It is true that it was open to everyone, and many people came there who might more appropriately be dealt with elsewhere. However, if you were homeless, distressed or what ever, you could find a cup of coffee and some re-assurance. It was an inconvenient layout as a building, but this was not a big problem in terms of access not being secure, or having the supplies, radio, maps, etc. in conformity with the pure theory of emergency management. If there had been a different kind of emergency, there would be different rules.

The problem with the Corrections Staff College site was that while it had a back-up generator, priority for the use of it had to rest with Corrections Canada which could have security concerns in an emergency.

He did not find that EMO played a significant role in Kingston.