HRM launches registry to check on vulnerable people during emergencies

Residents of the Halifax Regional Municipality who are vulnerable and don't have round-the-clock support can now register for a program where the municipality will contact them during emergencies such lengthy power outages and severe storms.

Regional council approved the voluntary vulnerable persons registry in June following a number of extreme events, including the May wildfire that destroyed 150 homes in Upper Tantallon outside Halifax and post-tropical storm Fiona in 2022.

The municipality announced Wednesday the registry, which aims to help officials better respond to people who may need more support during an emergency, is now taking applicants.

Coun. Cathy Deagle Gammon, who spearheaded the effort to create a registry, said she was inspired in part by Fiona, but was also influenced by her previous career in the non-profit sector working with people with disabilities.

"We just need to make sure that somebody is going to check on them," said Deagle Gammon, who represents the district of Waverley-Fall River-Musquodoboit Valley.

"It could be if there's a food issue, making sure that somebody has some food for the time that they need it. It could be do they need some gas for a generator if their power is out and they use equipment that requires power."

A news release noted the program is intended for residents who don't have 24-hour support and who have "severe difficulty" with any of the following:

• mobility.
• vision impairment.
• hearing impairment.
• developmental disabilities.
• cognitive impairment.
• mental health conditions.
• any resident who requires electricity for life-sustaining equipment such as oxygen, dialysis, etc.

Those who want to registry should fill out this form, or call 311.

The municipality said people who have 24-hour support from a caregiver or home-care aide, or who receive care through a nursing home or supportive housing, may not be eligible.

If there is an emergency

Deagle Gammon said the privacy of those who register will be protected, and the "sole issue" is keeping people safe and checking on them.

When there is an emergency, those on the vulnerable persons registry, along with their representative or legal guardian and their emergency contacts, will be warned through telephone, email and text. If possible, they will get the notification ahead of time, such as if a major storm is forecast to hit.

Emergency management staff may also call directly, or volunteers may go to the home to check on the person. The municipality said registrants who need electricity for life-sustaining equipment will be the priority.

The program, which includes a new staff member and technology, is expected to cost $280,531 over four years. 

Other areas in Canada have created similar registries, including Nova Scotia's Kings County. Last year, Liberal MLA Lorelei Nicoll introduced a private member's bill to create a provincewide registry, but it did not proceed.

Dan Stovel, the regional emergency management co-ordinator for Kings County, said its registry now has about 50 people. The program has been used a number of times, particularly after storm Dorian hit Nova Scotia in 2019.

But he said the key to registering people has not been to direct them to a website, as many who are older have stopped using computers. Instead, he said, it's been old-fashioned outreach, including handing out brochures at community sessions.

Search and rescue volunteers, firefighters and others can do wellness checks during emergencies, he said. And if there's an evacuation order, Stovel said he can generate a report showing where people on the registry live in that area.