Iqaluit emergency response needs work

Iqaluit has work to do to improve its emergency response almost a year after the landfill erupted in flames and burned for almost a month.

Since the landfill fire last September produced clouds of toxic smoke, the city has fought a major fire in Building 4100 in March and another at the tank farm last month.

Although Iqaluit adopted an emergency plan a year ago to co-ordinate responders and resources, Fire Chief Chris Wilson says the plan doesn't yet address specific emergencies or potential disasters.

"We have what's called an all-hazard, general emergency management plan, and that's pretty much where we're at," Wilson said. "We haven't gotten to any additional plans that go [to a] incident-specific situation yet. Those take time, down the road."

That means there is no specific plan if smoke blows through the city again or if a lot of people are left homelessness after a fire.

Wilson said the city will learn from these incidents as they occur and the emergency plan will evolve.