Planned Emergency Preparedness Exercise in Hillcrest Evacuation Zone

On Saturday, May 3, 2025, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the Town of Hinton, in partnership with emergency services, will be conducting a mock emergency evacuation drill in the Hillcrest Evacuation Zone. This is a planned exercise to test evacuation procedures and raise awareness about emergency readiness in the event of a wildfire.

Please note: This is a scheduled drill. No real emergency is occurring.

Why We’re Doing This
This drill supports:

• Community preparedness and awareness
• Training for emergency responders
• Testing and improving local emergency procedures
• Promoting FireSmart™ practices to help reduce wildfire risk

What to Expect
Residents and bystanders may notice the following during the day:

• A visible presence of emergency crews and vehicles
• Drones operating over the Hillcrest zone for training purposes
• Personnel knocking on doors in the Hillcrest zone to simulate evacuation notifications
• Regular updates to subscribers from the Town via Notify Me (Emergency Alerts) and Town social media accounts.
• An option for residents in the Hillcrest zone to:

1. Voluntarily participate in the evacuation by following instructions from Town communications or first responders. This includes evacuating to the Emergency Support Service (ESS) center
2. Or receive FireSmart™ educational materials from responders

Who Is Involved?

• Residents in the Hillcrest Evacuation Zone, on a volunteer basis
• Town of Hinton staff
• Emergency response partners, including RCMP, Hinton Fire Rescue, Hinton Search and Rescue and EMS
• Provincial and regional emergency management agencies
• Participating residents and volunteers.

For Hillcrest Zone Residents
Selected households in the Hillcrest evacuation zone will have been contacted in advance via a mailed letter.
If you're in the zone:

• Participation is voluntary
• Follow the instructions in the letter if you plan to participate
• Expect emergency crews at your door as part of the exercise
• Review the Four Steps to Prep Brochure
• You can choose to practice your evacuation or receive preparedness information.

For All Other Residents
If you are outside the Hillcrest zone:

• No action is required
  However, this is an excellent opportunity to:
• Review your emergency zone in the Four Steps to Prep Brochure
• Know your evacuation route
• Talk with your household about your emergency plan.

For more information or to speak with our Emergency Management team, please submit a General Inquiry through Hinton Listens: hinton.ca/hintonlistens.

Thank you for supporting this important step in keeping our community safe and prepared.
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