Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have a return to oral question asked by Mr. Hawkins on March 12, 2013, regarding highway emergency response protocols.
The Highway Emergency Alerting Protocol, or HEAP, was developed by the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs to assist the RCMP and selected community fire departments in responding to vehicular accidents on territorial highways and winter roads.
HEAP describes a uniform plan for emergency response to highway accidents in the various zones designated across the Northwest Territories. It is intended to establish a process and procedures to be followed by various agencies in responding to highway accidents. More specifically, HEAP guides:
establishing command authority;
dispatching resources;
accident reporting;
emergency landing strip procedures; and
clarifying medevac coverage areas.
MACA is leading an interdepartmental advisory committee, composed of Justice, Transportation and Health and Social Services, to implement a plan to strengthen community-based ground ambulance and highway rescue services in the NWT, and to explore options to ensure the safety of residents and visitors who need medical assistance in remote locations. The committee’s work plan includes a thorough review of HEAP. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
