Hantsport enhances security with new REMO Centre

By Christy Marsters

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

It wasn’t a siege, though it may have looked like one at times.

Main, Prince, and Oak streets were closed off in Hantsport for the afternoon of Sept. 24 as ambulances, fire trucks, police cars and military vehicles rolled into town.

But, many people were able to peruse through a series of emergency operation stations lining these streets in light of the town’s grand opening for a new Regional Emergency Management Operations (REMO) Centre, which is located within the Hantsport Town Hall.

Josh Spencer attended the grand opening and thought it was great to be able to walk around and check out all of the guns and other neat stuff to see at the different stations.

“I decided to attend because it looked awesome, Spencer said. “ I learned the jobs these people do are a lot more serious than I thought. I didn’t realize how important they were.”

Hantsport Fire Chief Paul Maynard said the grand opening and display was a tremendous success showing the real value of protection and safety within towns and municipalities.

The REMO Centre is a resource facility, which can be used to coordinate any type of disaster or emergency within a community, Maynard said. “The cost is certainly justified by the safety net such a centre provides the community. We always hope it won’t be needed, but when disaster or emergencies strike, the benefits prove to outweigh costs.”

The cost for this new REMO facility in Hantsport -- which includes a sheltered space, a generator back up, an equipment information management system and a computer system complete with IT services and telecommunication services -- was approximately $125,000.

“Knowing this infrastructure and equipment is readily available 24/7 provides a sense of security,” Maynard said. “I think West Hants and the towns of Hantsport and Windsor have certainly placed emergency planning and preparedness as a high priority in this region.

“Regional EMO coordinator Albert Bahri has done a great job securing support for these projects,” Maynard noted. “His hard work, along with the three local councils, has placed this community on the forefront of emergency management operations in Canada.”

Mayor Wayne Folker said the Hurricane Juan experience abruptly taught town staff a lot.

“To deal with that emergency from our fire hall, the only facility at our disposal at that time, proved to us that it was inadequate to be used for that purpose,” Folker said. “With limited phones and an undersized facility, we knew we had to do something better.”

Now, the town has a fantastic new facility thanks to the local councils and communities working so hard together, Folker said. “The grand opening was a delightful day… an example of cooperation and communication, which exists, not only locally but beyond.

“Who knows what the future shall bring,” Folker said. “But now we’re as prepared as we can be... I’d like to thank the partners of REMO and all of those who contributed to the cooperation of making the grand opening day and the REMO centre a big success.”