HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2005-08-11, Page 1The Citizen
Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Volume 21 No. 31 Thursday, Aug. 11, 2005
Pg-8
Pg-15
Pg-18
Soccer teams wrap
up season
Tiger Moth at
Cranbrook hangar
Barn Dance
Society donates
D in Autobiographical
* A 7 story told at Blyth
Lightning
strikes
home
Firefighters from the Blyth Fire
Department were at the scene of a
house fire for close to six hours last
Thursday evening.
A house owned by Dale Whitfield
was struck by lightning during the
storm of Aug. 4, with the Blyth
department receiving the call around
9:30 p.m., according to chief Paul
Josling. The house is located on the
east side of County Road 4, just
south of Cranbrook Road.
The chief said the Wingham and
Brussels departments were also
contacted for the "use of their tanker
trucks.
Damage was estimated at
$125,000. Firefighters were on the
scene until 3:30 a.m.
The owners were home at the time,
but were able to make it out. There
were no injuries and no firefighters
were hurt fighting the blaze.
Bit of
England
comes to
Brussels
A popular way to reduce inventory
in England is going to have a go in
Brussels.
A Car Boot Sale will be held from
8 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Saturday, Aug.
20.
Steering committee member Rene
Richmond said the idea had actually
been mentioned a few years ago by
Brussels resident Charles Hoy who
said the event is “very English”. The
idea is that vendors sell from the
trunks of their cars or backs of their
pickups.
“We had a meeting to discuss ideas
recently that might help boost the
Doors Open tour on Aug. 20 in
Brussels,” said Richmond. “The car
boot sale was brought forward again
and we thought it might be worth a
Continued on page 6
Tribute
The old water fountain in front of Blyth Memorial Hall is
gone and in its place is a fitting tribute for the Year of the
Veteran, a new sculpture by Jim Wallace for the Legion
HU reminds how
Ladies’ Auxiliary. With Wallace at the unveiling on Friday
night are Kay Hesselwood, left, and Janice Henry. (Vicky
Bremner photo)
to beat the heat
By Jim Brown
Citizen staff
The three H’s — hot, humid and
hazy - have been the key words this
summer.
With temperatures soaring
between the 25° to 30° Celsius
mark, and a humidity making the
temperature feel like it’s close to
40°, the summer has been rather hot
and sometimes unbearably hot.
However, there are precautions
people can take to make surviving
the heat easier.
Linda Stobo, senior public health
promoter of the Huron County
Health Unit, said they encourage
people to drink a lot of water and
First bird tests positive for WNv in Huron
A dead crow found in the Exeter
area has tested positive for West Nile
virus. To date, the Huron County
Health Unit has submitted a total of
7 birds for testing and this is the first
positive test result.
In the 2004 season, the first
positive bird was found in the
Wingham area on Aug. 3. To date, 21
of 37 health units have reported
positive birds for a total of 69
positive birds in Ontario.
In previous years, the majority of
human cases of West Nile virus in
Ontario were reported in late August
and September. It is important that
people continue to protect
themselves and their families from
mosquito bites from mid-August
until the first frost.
‘The mosquitoes most likely to
fruit juices when it is this hot.
“They help to keep our bodies
cool, by allowing to help our bodies
to sweat,” she said. “They also help
to maintain our normal bodily
functions.”
She noted people should avoid the
use of caffeinated beverages such as
coffee, tea and colas as well as
alcoholic beverages. These
beverages contribute to the loss of
fluids.
She said it is important to
remember that the hottest time of the
day is between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.,
so people should be extra cautious
during this time.
“The temperature is at its hottest
during these hours,” she stated.
bite you are those breeding in your
own backyard”, says Dr. Beth
Henning, medical officer of
health. “Eliminating areas of
standing water is critical, and
is the single most important
measure to reduce mosquitoes and
control the spread of the West Nile
virus.”
The health unit urges residents to
remain vigilant in reducing standing
water around homes, cottages and
businesses:
■ • Empty standing water from
garbage cans, wheelbarrows, toys,
flower pots, pool covers, tires, bird
baths, etc. at least twice a week
■ Clean clogged eaves troughs
• Keep pool pumps circulating, and
aerate ponds or stock ponds with
fish
The people most vulnerable to the
heat are the young, the elderly and
those with breathing problems or a
heart condition.
“They are just more susceptible to
heat-related illnesses,” said Stobo.
If a person is going out, they
should wear a wide-brimmed hat as
well as light-weight, light-coloured
clothing.
“They should also wear a
sunscreen with an SPF of at least
30,” she said.
According to Stobo, people should
try to remain in shaded areas as
much as possible, taking as many
breaks as possible and drinking
plenty of water.
When staying indoors, remember
• Cover openings in rain barrels, or
maintain a layer of mineral oil on
the water surface
To date in Huron, there have been
no human or equine cases of West
Nile virus.
Mosquito surveillance activities
continue across the county to
determine which types of
mosquitoes are present in Huron,
and whether or not they are infected
with the virus.
The virus has not yet been
detected in Huron County mosquito
populations; however, Halton
Region, Peel Region, the City of
Toronto, Perth County, and Windsor-
Essex County have received
laboratory confirmation of positive
mosquito pools.
People should take the following
to close the blinds and draw the
curtains to keep out the sun’s
heat.
One of the conditions of too much
sun is heat stroke.
Stobo said a person suffering from
heat stroke usually has hot, red and
dry skin, an increased heart rate and
a rapid pulse.
She noted it was important to seek
medical attention when a person has
any of these conditions at this time
of year.
Although the health unit is not
contacted about people going to
hospital because of heat stroke she is
guessing there have been a number
of incidences this summer because
of the heat.
precautions to protect themselves
against West Nile virus:
• Wear long-sleeved shirts, pants,
and socks in areas where
mosquitoes are present - especially
during dusk and dawn when
mosquitoes are most active
• Use an insect repellent containing
DEET
• Fix holes in window and door
screens
Huron residents are asked to
continue to report the location of any
dead crows and blue jays to the
health unit.
For more information, call the
infoline at 482-5119 Ext. 2001, or if
long distance, dial 1-877-837-6143
Ext. 2001.
Check out the website at
www.huroncounty.ca/healthunit