Posted on 19 September 2009. Tags: bylaws, council, dump, facebook, mayor message, social networking, social networking sites, twitter, website, yellowknifer
I came across this page on the City of Yellowknife website today and it is about being prepared for emergencies. Now I am not entirely sure if this page was on the site before the dump fire or not (been told it was) but none the less it brings up an important question. Would the City be able to alert its residents if there were a city wide emergency. The short answer is unfortunately no, but they want to change that. In one of last weeks Yellowknifers, councilor David McCann did state that they should look into a City Twitter account and Facebook page.

If you didn’t know when the dump fire broke out, Facebook and Twitter lit up with updates about the fire. RT’s, Photos and News flooded these new media sites with information about what was happening as it was happening as well as the Mayor’s Message he released. The City on the other hand had no real way of getting the message out, except for radio, which is only one medium. Now I am sure there are many issues The City would have to work out to get a Twitter account and Facebook page up, like the fact they would actually have to allow an employee to use these social networking sites to update them.
I am going to go ahead and assume no one would be against an official Twitter account and Facebook page so my questions for you are. How do you think the City can manage these accounts if they were to set them up and would you follow them. Will this be an election topic?
We could also continue this conversation by adding all the other things the City could do with these accounts besides just emergency purposes. Such as the Mayor Message, Council Minutes, New ByLaws, etc.
Posted in City, Discussion
Posted on 07 September 2009. Tags: Breakfast, Cafe, cbc, dump, facebook, fire, group, nnsl, photo, Podcast, twitter
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Posted in Posts, YkOnline Podcast
Posted on 07 September 2009. Tags: airport, airport fire, amazing photos, black smoke, cbc, dump, dumpy fire, facebook, fire, fire dept, Flickr, helicopter, Mayor Van Tighen, smoke, tire fire, twitter, Yellowknife, yk
No doubt you saw the massive amount of black smoke being emitted into the sky earlier Saturday evening. The dump was on fire once again, this time in full forced. What started at 4:30pm continued to burn for about 12 hours. With help from Airport Fire Dept as well as helicopter and bomber they managed to contain it.
Mayor Van Tighen released this statement at 6:44pm:
There is a fire at the dump.
YKFD is on site and fighting it.
City heavy equipment is being supplemented by RTL.
ENR are working to enable an air attack.
YKFD asks residents t…o stay indoors and keep windows and doors closed until it is extinguished.
Unfortunately I was not able to be there myself and take pictures, nor was I even in internet range, but here are links to picture and posts they were put up as the first was happening.
http://twitpic.com/gn64f – Credit Shane Riley
http://twitpic.com/gn6aa – Credit Shane Riley
http://twitpic.com/photos/arcticrose45 – Credit Val Pond
Fire at Yellowknife Dump and Facebook album with amazing photos – David Heffernan
Flickr Photo Album – More amazing shots – Nigel Fearon
Reflections in the Snow-covered Hills – Megan brings up any excellent point about something I want to talk more about soon.
News/North (NNSL) Video Clip – Credit NNSL
http://twitpic.com/photos/aumpleby – Credit Aumpleby
If you know of more pictures and/or posts that have gone up make sure you add a link in the comment section.
Posted in City, Posts