The Times Advocate, 2006-03-22, Page 13Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Exeter Times -Advocate
1 3
Flood control meeting
emphasizes preparation,
communication
By Scott Nixon
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — Awareness, prepa-
ration and communication were
three of the keys emphasized last
week during a Flood Emergency
Planning Meeting at the Exeter
Masonic Hall.
Hosted by the Ausable Bayfield
Conservation Authority, the annu-
al meeting has been held each
year since the 2000 flood.
Alec Scott of the ABCA said con-
servation authorities use an
emergency plan, a monitoring
system, early advi-
sories, warnings to
the municipalities
and technical assis-
tance during flood
events. An emer-
gency plan lays out
the responsibilities
of those involved
during a flood.
Throughout the
meeting, an empha-
sis was placed on preparedness
and keeping the lines of commu-
nication open during emergen-
cies.
Scott spoke of the challenges the
ABCA faces in dealing with flood-
waters. The ABCA has four sys-
tems to concern itself with — the
Ausable and Bayfield rivers,
Parkhill Creek and smaller water-
ways along the lakeshore.
Water levels, precipitation and
snow melts are traditional causes
of floods, with intense rainstorms
the cause of more recent flooding.
Scott said monitoring is expen-
sive and the ABCA has a wide
area to cover. The conservation
authority receives provincial advi-
sories from the Ministry of
Natural Resources, looks at radar
and weather forecasts and inter-
prets the data.
The Parkhill Dam, Scott
explained, can prevent floods and
is most effective in the summer.
He said there would be more
flooding if not for that dam.
Senior Emergency Management
Officer Steve Beatty of Emergency
Management Ontario said munici-
palities have to be ready to help
citizens during an emergency,
although he said citizens should
be self-reliant for 72 hours.
Ontario has a mandatory emer-
gency planning program and
communities have to have a
response plan, a training pro-
gram for staff, annual exercises
as well as an appointed emer-
gency information officer.
The aim of Emergency
Management Ontario is to help
municipalities prepare an emer-
gency plan and inform its citizens
about what to do during an emer-
gency. The plan must state who
does what and information during
an emergency must be passed
quickly to the public through the
media.
"Timely, accurate information
has to get to the public," Beatty
said.
Regular tests of fax machines
and generators have to be com-
pleted to ensure they are
in working order.
Another matter of
importance during an
emergency is the quality
of drinking water.
Municipalities have to
work with their health
unit to see if the local
drinking water is safe.
The topic of shelter also
arose. Beatty said during
an emergency, a municipality can
expect to house about 10 per cent
of its population in a municipal
shelter. Bluewater Mayor Bill
Dowson said his municipality
went through a learning process
in February when hydro was
knocked out in Zurich for 36
hours and some residents sought
shelter in the Bluewater arena.
Dowson asked Beatty how
municipalities can ensure they
have enough bottled water on
hand during emergencies. He
wondered if local stores can be
asked to keep a supply on hand in
the case of an emergencies.
Beatty said pop companies can
help, although in this area they
are based out of London and dur-
ing poor weather it may be diffi-
cult to get here. He said one
option is to keep a pallet of bot-
tled water at a local fire hall or
works building.
He added citizens should have
their own 72 -hour survival kit,
including drinking water.
"You've got to be responsible for
yourself to a degree," Beatty said.
Pamphlets were also available
at the meeting, including infor-
mation about `Environment
Canada E -warnings,' a free ser-
vice which can e-mail weather
warnings to citizens about their
area. The service can be accessed
at
www.weatheroffice.pyr.ec.gc.ca/e
-products/
"Timely, accurate
information has to
get to the public".
SENIOR EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICER
STEVE BEATTY OF
EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT ONTARIO
SH council news briefs
The following items were dis-
cussed at South Huron council's
March 6 meeting:
Tenders accepted
Council accepted a number of ten-
ders.
High bidder Paul Passmore was
awarded the tender to lease 44
acres of land at Part Lot 25, Conc.
8, Usborne from the municipality
for a three-year term starting May
1. Passmore bid $185.06/acre, the
highest of three bids the municipali-
ty received.
Also, low bidder Jennison
Construction was awarded the
crushed gravel tender, with a bid of
$314,776.30. The dust control ten-
der went to Southwest Dust Control
with the low bid of $56,496.
Insurance renewed
South Huron renewed its munici-
pal insurance policy with Jardine
Lloyd Thompson at $166,486 for
the year. The costs are up 3.5 per
cent over last year.
Arson at Derby Dip
EXETER — The Ontario Fire
Marshall and members of the
Huron OPP Crime Unit have deter-
mined a fire which destroyed
Bergie's Derby Dip in Exeter March
13, at approximately 11:30 p.m.
was the result of arson. The investi-
gation is continuing
Beaver
the challen
The 1st Exeter Beavers took up a challenge recently when called upon to give a hand tot
he Exeter Fire department to give their trucks a pull.With the encouragement of their
leaders and their own determination, the 1st Exeter Beavers huffed and puffed and pulled
the "little truck" with no difficulty at a11.Taking on a greater challenge the Beavers then
hooked on to the largest truck in
the fleet and again met the chal-
lenge. (photo/submitted)
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