Friday May 6, 2016
For Immediate Release
Fort McMurray, AB – “The response to this disaster by our membership has been simply amazing,” explained IAM Local Lodge 99 Business Representative Ryan Ermet.
“We have 300 of our members who reside in Fort McMurray and more than a dozen of them have lost their home due to this fire. The membership of Local Lodge 99 has stepped up to the plate, giving their brothers and sisters shelter, whether it’s their basement or a trailer, offering whatever kind of assistance they need. It makes me proud to be a Machinist!”
The entire city of Fort McMurray, northeast of Edmonton, has been surrounded by raging forest fires brought on by high temperatures, high winds and extremely dry conditions for this time of year. In excess of 80,000 people have been evacuated to escape the fire and for some of them, they were evacuated twice because of shifting winds. To date, more than 1600 homes have been destroyed and the fire has grown to more than 85,000 hectares in size and still considered out of control. There is no indication when residents will be allowed to return to the area.
As offers of assistance and aid begin to pour in, the Local Lodge 99 Executive will meet early next week to discuss how and where it can establish disaster relief for affected members.
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For further information:
Bob MacKinnon – IAM Local Lodge 99 Directing Business Representative
780-414-1499/780-991-7796
Ryan Ermet – IAM Local Lodge 99 Business Representative
780-414-1499/403-358-2886
Bill Trbovich – IAM Director of Communications
416-386-1789 Ext #6331/416-735-9765
