HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2011-01-05, Page 1616 Lakeshore Advance • Wednesday, Jan's-, Lull
Councillors call for relaxed food rules
Cathy Dobson
QMI Agency
Some county councillors are
calling for community health serv-
ices to relax their fdod handling
rules during emergencies.
Food donations at several shel-
ters were refused during this
month's snowstorm in compliance
with Lambton County food -han-
dling regulations. That meant only
professionally prepared foods
could be accepted.
"1 thought it was sad, " said
Coun. Bev MacDougall. "1 want
community health services to look
at our food policies.
"We all get why food was refused
but people came with thood out
of the goodness of their Itts"
MacDougall said the storm that
`
•• 'stranded hundreds of motorists
and sent at least 700 to eight area
sheitert;,* r two days should not
have been handled as if it was a
summer event that had to meet
food -handling regulations.
"We should think that through,"
she said.
Numerous shelters including
those in Wyoming turned away
food donations. However, mayors
of at least two municipalities admit
their shelters welcomed home-
made meals.
"No disrespect to the people fol-
lowing the rules, but nobody got
sick," said Warwick Mayor Todd
Case.
He said his municipality was
"guilty" of accepting donated
food.
"To be honest, in a situation like
that, we may do it again," Case
said.
"We too accepted donated food,
" said Petrolia Mayor John McCha-
rles." Not one muffin went to
waste.
They spoke at a special meeting
of Lambton County council held
10 days after Warden Steve Arnold
declared a state of emergency and
brought in the military to assist
OPP.
Some have accused Arnold of
overreacting, he said.
But he'd do it again in the same
circumstances.
"At the time of the declaration,
there were 2, 400 homes without
hydro, emergency shelters were
opened and the roads were closed,"
he said.
"At the time, hundreds had been
trapped in their cars for 14 hours
and the forecast was calling for
more snow and high winds."
Arnold reported that 360 vehicles
had to be towed from Highway 402
and hundreds more were removed
from the sideroads. An estimated
700 people flooded into shelters
with many more accommodated by
local homeowners.
The warden saki that after the
rescue operation. Premier Dalton
McGuinty telephoned to thank him
and congratulate Lambton County
for getting through the crisis with -
Ili We allet why
Y
food was refused
but people came
with this food out
of the goodness
of their hearts."
Coun. Bev MacDougall
out any serious injuries.
"Since 1 had his ear, 1 told him
we'd send in requests for wind
breaks along the highway and elec-
tronic signs (to warn of snow
squalls)," Arnold said.
Case told council that his munic-
ipality's emergency plan could not
be followed because it involves the
Canadian Red Cross, which could
not get to Warwick.
"People rallied and did what had
to be done, " Case said. "It was all
great but we're going to have to get
used to more snow situations
because of changing weather_
patterns."
When Highway 402 closes,
count's sideroads should also be
off-limits, he said.
Many people were detoured off
the highway only to get stuck on
secondary roads.
"People outside Sarnia- Lambton
think we live in a banana belt," said
Coon. Anne Marie Gillis.
"Even if you close the roads, peo-
ple go on them anyway"
She said drivers need to be edu-
cated about winter driving
conditions.
"'they leave their homes in their
running shoes and newer expect to
get out of their cars," Gillis said.
"'Then they hear we're having a
storm and think they can handle it.
"We have to educate people so
they understand that 'Stay off the
roads' means stay off the roads!"
Deadline....
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