What do you do if you find this?

A Red Deer Resident was shocked and saddened to find a mess of needle debris on a popular walking trail Thursday afternoon. Laura Anderson came upon this scene on the path system in her Bower neighbourhood about 2:30 Thursday. She took a couple of photos so she could show her son what to look for and educate him on how dangerous needles are. Laura says her 8 year old son uses this path virtually everyday.

If you find needles, there is a correct protocol to follow. You can find this information posted on the City of Red Deer website….

Found Needles

Discarded needles are a problem for many cities, and Red Deer is no exception. The City acknowledges the work of community agencies who provide needles to intravenous drug users, but the collection of those used needles is a challenge. The City and a number of agencies are working on the issue.

Read the Needle Disposal Guide here (pdf)

City crews regularly clean up needles to keep public places safe, and a process has been developed to help members of the public know what to do if they find a needle or other drug paraphernalia.

I found a needle. What do I do?

Always treat each needle as contaminated. You have a couple of options if you find one:

I’m too nervous to pick it up or I am unequipped to pick it up.
- Cover or mark the needle with an object.
- Call 403-342-8238 for disposal.
I’m willing and equipped to pick it up.
- I have gloves, tongs or pliers, and a hard sharps container (or plastic bottle with lid).
  - Needle pickup kits are available at your nearest fire hall.
- Put on latex, rubber or leather gloves. Use tongs or pliers to carefully pick up needle with tip pointed away from you.
- Put sharps container on stable surface (do not hold it while putting needle inside). Put needle point down into the container and close lid.
- Do NOT place container in garbage. Dispose of at nearest needle disposal location:
  - Fire stations 1 (4941 46 Street), 2 (5839 67 Street) & Headquarters (4340 32 Street) have 24-hour drop boxes
  - Many pharmacies accept needles
  - Turning Point (4611 50 Avenue)
  - Brown needle drop boxes located through parks and trails
- Wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer once you’re done

If you get pricked by a needle:

Flush the area with flowing water.
Wash the wound well with soap and warm water.
Seek medical attention for an assessment of the risk of infection and appropriate treatment.

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City of Red Deer

Rebate programs launch again in Red Deer

Published on May 3, 2024

City of Red Deer

Red Deer residents who purchase and install a rain barrel, drought-tolerant plants, permeable mulch or a low-flow toilet may qualify for a rebate on their City utility bill.

Alberta is experiencing drought in many parts of the province due to a below average snowpack in winter 2022-23, these rebate programs help Red Deerians conserve water usage in their homes and on their property at a time when water conservation is top of mind for many. The province is currently in water shortage management stage 4 (out of 5) and multiple water management areas are impacted by water shortage.

Participants in the programs could see a reduction in water usage in their homes as well as time and money as yards and gardens require less watering and fertilizer.

Specific details vary per rebate, but each program is open to Red Deer residents who have a City of Red Deer utility account.

Plant and Mulch Rebates are open for qualifying residents who purchase and install qualifying plants and/or permeable mulch in 2024. There is one rebate available for 50% of the cost of plants up to $50 and one rebate available for 50% of the cost of mulch up to $50.

The Rain Barrel Rebate program is open for residents who purchase and install a new rain barrel in 2024. The rebate is for 50% of the cost of the rain barrel up to $50. To encourage residents to participate in the program, this rebate has been expanded for 2024. Participants who received one rain barrel rebate in past years are welcome to apply for one additional rebate. Maximum of two rebates per utility account for the lifetime of that utility account.

A Toilet Rebate is available for residents who replace a high-flow toilet with a low-flow model. Two $25 rebates are available per utility account. People who have participated in this program in previous years are not eligible to receive another rebate.

These rebate programs support the water-related goals in The City’s Environmental Master Plan by reducing Red Deerians water use and increasing water conservation efforts. More information on how you can conserve water can be found at reddeer.ca/drought.

2024 City Councilor By-Election

Chad Krahn wins City Council by-election: Official results Friday

Published on April 22, 2024

City of Red Deer

Unofficial 2024 By-Election Results

With 100% voting stations reporting, Red Deerians have elected a new City Councillor during The City’s first ever by-election.

Unofficial results of the 2024 Municipal By-Election are as follows:

Councillor for The City of Red Deer Number of positions to be filled: 1

	Candidate	Votes
1	BUCHANAN, S.H. (Buck)	479
2	CHILIBECK, Jason	287
3	COLLINGS, Mark	115
4	CULLEN-SAIK, Linda	296
5	HUIZING, Hans	381
6	KRAHN, Chad	2512
7	MACDONALD, Ashley	165
8	MILANEY, Liam (The Level)	29
9	TWEEDLE, Jaelene	2355
10	YZERMAN, Calvin	183