DAN CEARNS, The Standard
KAWARTHA LAKES: Despite calls for a provincial alert system, for missing vulnerable children and adults, it appears the City of Kawartha Lakes may take a slightly different direction.
In June, after being reported missing by his family, 11-year-old Draven Graham was found dead in the Scugog River. Since then, petitions have been created, and municipalities across Ontario have endorsed the idea of a “Draven Alert” similar to an amber alert system.
But, at a meeting of the board of the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit (HKPR), on Thursday, September 15th, Chairperson and Kawartha Lakes councillor, Doug Elmslie, mentioned a more local option might be in the works.
“The emergency services in Lindsay had, and [are], coming forward with a protocol for dealing with [these situations] locally. The rationale being, if someone is missing in the City of Kawartha Lakes, using the amber alert to advise people in Thunder Bay and elsewhere in Ontario is probably not very productive,” Councillor Elmslie explained.
The councillor added, “the local community emergency services feel they can better handle the situation, rather than using a provincial-wide system.”
The discussion started as an update, regarding an initiative, to having the health unit draft a letter supporting a “Draven Alert.” This initiative was later deferred, until the City of Kawartha Lakes council received a report on this issue.
The amber alert system is currently used for children who are believed to have been abducted.