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Power crews make progress; transit to resume on Sunday

Halifax, NS, Canada / Hot Country 103.5
Steve MacArthur
Sep 23, 2022 | 6:47 PM


Photo:CNS Image

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says he’s thinking about everyone affected, and says the government will be here for them.

He says there was an incident response meeting this morning with Public Safety Minister Bill Blair, and the government is ready to provide resources to Atlantic Canada.

Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says the damage is gut-wrenching, and he’s praying for everyone’s safety.

He encourages everyone to follow the guidance of local public safety officials and first responders.

Nova Scotia provides update on Fiona recovery efforts

Provincial officials have provided Nova Scotians with an update on recovery efforts from post-tropical storm Fiona.

Premier Tim Houston says the province has requested military and disaster assistance from the federal government.

Photo: CNS image from Louisburg

He says damage assessments are underway and for people to stay off the road.

Houston says most municipalities intend to open comfort centres to let people charge devices and receive updates. He says to check with your municipality for local updates and only call 911 in emergency situations.

John Lohr the Minister responsible for the provincial Emergency Management Office says they have moved to a Level 3 activation and resources are being moved to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Victoria County.

He says federal minister of public safety Bill Blair will be quickly providing disaster financial assistance. The Red Cross is also providing assistance.

You can view the full update here.

RCMP say there have been no deaths or serious injuries as a result of Fiona so far.
But officers have been busy.
In a release, police say they’ve responded to hundreds of calls about stranded motorists, downed power lines and trees and washed out roads.
RCMP say three people suffered minor injuries in Colchester County when they became stranded while off-roading overnight.

Submitted photo from Sydney, NS

CBRM Declares State of Emergency

The Cape Breton Regional Municipality declared a state of emergency shortly before 8:00 a.m. Saturday morning.

Islanders are now being asked to shelter in place as the storm continues to batter Nova Scotia’s northern half.

Local comfort centres are now preparing to open, and CBRM indicated they will be communicating more details on that shortly.

A post on social media shows that a road near Saint Georges Channel collapsed sometime during the storm.

Images of Fiona Impact

Nova Scotians from around the province are beginning to wake up and see the overnight impact from post-tropical storm Fiona.

Images of the destruction are being shared across social media, with many showing damaged power lines, flooding, and other storm-related damage.

 

On Sunday, outages dipped below 240,000 homes and businesses without power.

The company is estimated it may be late Wednesday or Thursday before some get their power back.

Tree debris and safety

As tree damage and debris are expected with this storm, residents are reminded to not clear downed trees in the municipal-right-of-way or in municipal parks for safety reasons. If there is a downed tree on a street, park or in the right-of-way, residents are asked to call 311.  Staff will assess damage during and after the storm.

Residents should not remove or trim branches near a power line. If a tree or tree limbs have fallen on a power line or pulled it down, keep a safe distance from the line or the tree and contact Nova Scotia Power or call 911 in the event of an emergency.

Residents are also reminded to stay away from damaged areas and fallen power lines and watch out for debris such as sheet metal, glass or other sharp material.

Halifax Transit

Buses and ferry service will resume on Sunday, September 25.

Cancellations

One early casualty of the storm is the Trevor Noah show at Scotia Bank on Saturday night. It has been moved to October 14th.  All tickets will be honoured. As a precaution barricades are being put up at Peggy’s Cove. The McKay Bridge will be closed to traffic after 9pm tonight.

Parks & Recreation

All ball diamonds, sport fields and all-weather fields will be closed starting Friday, September 23, until end of the day on Sunday, September 25. Staff will be assessing field conditions as soon as it is safe to do so and determine if further closures are required.

Facilities will assess reopening on Sunday, September 25 for noon. As recreation centres may experience delays in reopening due to power outages or damage, residents are asked to call ahead to local recreation centres for updates.

Due to safety concerns, residents are strongly advised to avoid visiting municipal parks until the storm has passed and potential damage, including downed trees, has been addressed, which may take several days.

The Halifax Public Gardens will be closed over the weekend. An announcement on reopening will be made once an assessment has occurred once the storm has passed

Residents are advised to check for updates at halifax.ca and to call ahead to your respective facility for updates. Contact information for municipally-operated facilities is available online.

Evacuation centres are being opened at the following locations:

  • Canada Games Centre, 26 Thomas Raddall Drive, Halifax
  • Acadia Centre, 636 Sackville Drive, Lower Sackville
  • St Margaret’s Centre, 12 Westwood Boulevard, Upper Tantallon
  • Musquodoboit Harbour Recreation Centre & Library, 7900 Highway 7, Musquodoboit Harbour

These locations will be open starting at 8 p.m. tonight. They will remain open until the storm passes, or as needed. Further locations may be opened if necessary. Residents can self-evacuate to these centres anytime during the storm however, they are advised to travel only when it is safe to do so. If residents experience damage to their homes during the storm and cannot safely evacuate, they should call 911.

Comfort centres

Once the storm has passed and it is safe to do so, an assessment will be made by the municipality to determine when and where comfort centres should be set up.

Comfort centres provide food and water, as well as a place to recharge electronic devices and receive up-to-date information, when residents are impacted by prolonged power outages, extreme temperatures or other significant events.

The locations vary depending on which community/communities have been impacted. Comfort centres are generally located in municipal facilities where they exist. The hours vary depending on the type of impact on the community/communities.

Helping support those experiencing homelessness

In partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia, the East Dartmouth Community Centre is being opened as an emergency shelter for those experiencing homelessness starting at 4 p.m. on Friday, September 23. Staffing is being provided by 902 Man Up.

Another emergency shelter will be opened in Sackville, located at the St. Elizabeth Seton Church, with Beacon House as the service provider. Staffing and food costs at both locations will be funded by the province.

Street Outreach Navigators and outreach workers have been visiting encampment sites to advise people on the sheltering options are available. Transportation to these shelters is being organized through the municipality in coordination with the province.

The Halifax Ground Search and Rescue team will be doing wellness checks during the post-tropical storm to check on the safety of anyone who chooses not to leave an encampment or outdoor sheltering location.

Halifax Public Libraries

For the latest information on the status of all Halifax Public Library locations and services, please visit their website.

Please visit: halifax.ca/hurricanes or follow @hfxgov on Twitter for all storm-related updates.

The Premier shared this message on preparedness on Instagram today.

If you are a Bell Aliant customer and don’t have wifi access you won’t have to worry about going over on your data.

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