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REGINA — The Saskatchewan Public Safety Agency (SPSA) is encouraging residents to register with the Saskatchewan Evacuation Registration (SER) program before an emergency occurs, saying advance registration can reduce stress for evacuees while helping emergency officials provide faster, more effective support.
The online registration system allows Saskatchewan households to provide information in advance that may be needed during a wildfire, flood or other emergency requiring an evacuation. Officials say the information helps communities prepare for evacuations and allows the SPSA to coordinate supports more efficiently when they are needed.
“Preparing for an emergency is an important step in any incident,” the SPSA told SaskToday. “The SER web application is one of many tools that residents and communities can use should there be a need to evacuate.”
The SPSA said residents who create an SER account before an emergency can identify whether they may require transportation or accommodation during an evacuation. Registration is also required to receive evacuation assistance provided through the agency.
SPSA said advance registration gives communities critical information needed for emergency planning and helps reduce the amount of information evacuees need to provide during a stressful situation.
“Creating an account and being prepared can help alleviate stress at the time,” SPSA said.
According to the SPSA, the SER system helps emergency officials coordinate transportation, temporary accommodations and other supports for evacuees.
Information collected through the system can also identify dietary restrictions, accessibility needs and other circumstances requiring additional assistance during an evacuation.
The agency said transportation manifests can be created through the system, hotel registrations can be arranged for those requiring accommodations, and SER can also be used to communicate with registered users using their preferred method of contact.
Residents can also indicate whether pets will remain behind and require feeding. The SPSA said rescue personnel or staff remaining in the community can use that information to care for those animals when appropriate.
The SPSA emphasized the importance of keeping registration information current and accurate.
Once a community declares an emergency and requests SPSA assistance, transportation is arranged for residents who need it, while the community and the SPSA work together to secure hotel accommodations for evacuees requiring temporary lodging.
Residents staying with family or friends during an evacuation may still be eligible for supports, including food assistance, by contacting the SPSA.
Officials also warned that intentionally providing false information in the SER system could affect not only the services received by the individual but also the availability of support for others.
The SPSA said the SER system underwent several upgrades following Saskatchewan’s 2025 wildfire season and is encouraging existing users to review and update their accounts.
Currently, approximately 7,550 households representing more than 18,000 people are registered in the system.
The agency said several communities have hosted account registration days to encourage residents to sign up before emergencies occur, with the goal of ensuring people already have accounts in place if an evacuation becomes necessary.
One of the biggest misconceptions, according to the SPSA, is that residents should wait until an emergency occurs before creating an account.
SPSA stressed that personal information entered into the system is secure and encouraged residents to register before an evacuation is ever needed.
“If you take 10 minutes and do it now, it will save you time in the future,” the SPSA said. “It’s one less thing you have to worry about should you ever need to evacuate.”
The SPSA said seasonal cabin and cottage owners whose primary residence is elsewhere should expect to return to their permanent home if an evacuation order is issued. Emergency resources are primarily directed toward permanent residents of the affected community.
SPSA encouraged anyone staying at a seasonal property in an area threatened by wildfire to monitor conditions closely, leave early if fire activity approaches and ensure family or friends know their location.
The agency also recommends registering seasonal properties through its Values at Risk program and using tools such as SaskAlert and the SPSA’s interactive wildfire map to stay informed during wildfire season.
While the SER program is intended for permanent local residents, the SPSA said every household should have an emergency plan for their home, cabin and vehicle to help them respond quickly if disaster strikes.
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