Ongoing discussions regarding the future of the Carman-Dufferin EMO Coordinator position have finally resulted in a conclusion. The job has seen several resignations and long-term vacancies in recent years, prompting members of the Carman-Dufferin Protective Services committee to re-examine how the role is fulfilled.

"It's definitely been a tough position to fill for a long-term time frame," said Matt Gray who serves as chair of the committee.

An EMO Coordinator would help organize sandbagging efforts at a moment's notice.

He added that no option was left on the table when looking for possible solutions. The list included splitting the coordinator duties within the local Emergency Management Team of volunteers, or bringing in an outside group to oversee the role. Ultimately, Gray said the decision was made to continue searching for someone locally to fill the position full time.

"There's a real feel among everyone that having someone local and here all the time best suits the position," he explained.

After further consulting with the Emergency Management Team, Gray said priorities in hiring a new EMO Coordinator include stability within the position and ongoing training.

Duties of the EMO Coordinator include ongoing maintenance of the municipal emergency plan that is submitted to the province on an annual basis, continued recruitment and training of volunteers for the local Emergency Management Team and acting as a liaison between Manitoba Emergency Measures and the local committee.