Calgary reservists get flood response training
CBC News | Posted: March 6, 2016 1:30 AM | Last Updated: March 6, 2016
‘If you've never actually dealt with something, you don't know how to deal with it.’
Army reservists from Alberta and the Northwest Territories got some emergency training in Calgary this weekend which will allow them to better respond to large-scale flooding, similar to what southern Alberta communities experienced in June 2013.
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Around 70 reservists from the 41 Canadian Brigade Group are working on a military training exercise in tents set up at the Northeast Armoury in Calgary this weekend.
They're training in case they ever have to help out with a flood response.
Some are learning how to plan operations, others are keeping track of people on the ground.
Lt.-Col. Eric Gilson is the Commanding Officer of 41 Territorial Battalion Group which is part of the 41 Canadian Brigade Group.
He says training like this is important.
"If you've never actually dealt with something, you don't know how to deal with it," Gilson said.
"So as much as possible, we try to mimic real world situations. And this gives a chance for everybody to practice their procedures, to understand how we operate with everybody, how we communicate."
While this training session wraps Sunday, it's offered twice a year to keep skills up to date.