Bernadette Folster woke up to the sound of sirens Tuesday morning. Ash landed in her yard and toxic smoke choked the air as a Sutherland Avenue industrial complex went up in flames.
Days after being evacuated, Folster is still alarmed by the city’s emergency plan she says fell short of helping a community scrambling for answers.
“Everybody was in like a traumatic state, and they needed more assistance than was provided. I saw people on social media asking for somebody to drop them off clean water,” she said.
Like Folster, people within about three blocks were forced from their homes. Others were told to shelter in place while more than 500 buildings lost power during the fire.
After that, Folster said it was hard to get information.
“It was like (a) very trapping situation for a lot of these families, and then when you have no power and no proper water, it becomes even more intense at that point.”
Folster called city resources and organizations, asking for help and whether it was safe to go home, but they didn’t have answers, she said.
Neil van Engel, who lives in an apartment complex down the street from the Sutherland Avenue rubble, was also struck by what he called a lack of communication and support.
“There were no resource agencies that provided any services. There was no guide or direction or list as to where to be. There wasn’t anything provided in terms of fresh water,” van Engel said.
The city declined an interview Friday.
In a statement, a Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service spokesperson said its emergency social services (ESS) team was standing by in case a large-scale evacuation was required.
The city provided updates via media outlets and social media.
“As residents who evacuate may go to any other location, it is not always possible to reach each evacuated resident individually with this information,” they said.
Meanwhile, the local Canadian Red Cross branch confirmed the city didn’t ask for their support.
Winnipeg’s ESS works with the organization in cases where community members need things like hotels, the WFPS spokesperson said.
“Most often, this applies to people who have had their home damaged by fire who need to make alternate arrangements for a few days, quickly, before they can return to their home.”
For Folster, a centralized phone line and designated muster point with supports could have provided relief during Tuesday’s confusion and panic — especially in an area where vulnerable people may not have access to data, internet or phones during a power outage.
Folster found out she and her partner could return home around 9 p.m., after learning the news from someone in their neighbourhood.
“There’s more that can be done at, you know, at minimal cost that just gives people a better, safe, caring experience through such a traumatic event,” Folster said.
“If there was a more serious situation, I definitely don’t have any faith in our response system to do things in … any kind of smoother flow. I think it would just be worse, unless they work on that now, hearing our concerns.”
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