Dear Fort McMurray evacuees:
Welcome to Lac La Biche County. We want you to be safe and comfortable here. We just don't want your COVID. That might sound blunt. It is.
Sorry.
You see, the real issue here is that it's not you, it's us. Truthfully, we're really not very good at all this social distancing, self isolation, essential services stuff. Sure, we have no current cases of COVID (and your community has 20, but who's counting?). But ask any one of the groups of people hanging out on our downtown streets, or some of the folks slipping into the "secret entrance" of the hair salon for a quick trim, or the people who can't understand the meaning of directional arrows on the floor of a grocery store aisle — ask them why we have been one of the last 20 communities in the province with no cases — and they'll say LUCK.
Seriously, it's as if COVID has so far chosen to avoid the obvious targets in our community; the busy downtown, the mixed family gatherings, the folks who continue to have their daily coffee talks, the youth who still meet in groups in parking lots and at boat launches. It's as if the virus only wants to goof around with Lebanese men's hairstyles, help the paint industry sell more product, and make people with glasses figure out how to wear facemasks without fogging up their lenses.
So, our dear Fort McMurray visitors. We truly want you to feel at home. Your losses and suffering are tragic. We want to help. But you are yet another layer in the house of cards we've built so far on a foundation of pure luck.
We want to rush to your aid — like we did when you evacuated to us in 2016 as the fires raged up north. We want to give you attention and clothes and food .... but it's hard.
The very real risk of spreading a virus that has so many uncertainties right now is too great of a risk. Unfortunately, that might tarnish your view of our emergency-related hospitality. Fortunately, it might mean less stress on our healthcare system and less people dying.
If you need anything, please reach out — metaphorically, not physically, because as you've just read, at least half the community will take your hand or put an arm around you. The other half will bring supplies to your hotel room, leave them at the door and probably backtrack all of their steps with wipes of disinfectant cloths.
It's a scary time. For you guys, it's even worse. We just don't want it to get any scarier. We're careful, we're lucky, and we're here to help people who realize how delicate life's balance can be.
Welcome. Be healthy (and hopefully lucky) with us.
Sincerely,
Us *
* Rob McKinley / LLB POST
