Make Safety Priority During Cleanup

The Emergency Management Office is urging residents to make safety the priority as waters recede, roads are repaired, bridges inspected and clean up efforts continue today, Dec. 16, in Northern Cape Breton and the Annapolis Valley.

"People in Victoria and Inverness counties and throughout the Annapolis Valley have had a harrowing week," said Ramona Jennex, Minister for Emergency Management. "We've been very fortunate that no one has been injured by this storm. Please be careful today and continue to help each other as we all work to clean-up our properties and communities."

There have been no new reports of flooding in Cape Breton, and many roads along the Cabot Trail are being reopened today. Residents are advised to check road conditions before travelling.

Power has been restored to most communities throughout the province, but some areas including Kentville, Wolfville and Kingston, where there was severe damage from high winds, continue to report outages. More than 100 crews are working to restore power to customers throughout the day.

EastLink reports that 200 telephone customers in the Valley are waiting to be reconnected and that all other services have been restored.

In the coming days, work will begin to gather information on the extent of the damages caused by the storm.

Homeowners and residents are asked to keep the following information in mind:

• Those with damages should contact their insurance agent as soon as possible. Make a list and include photographs or videotape all damages and items that had to be disposed of after flooding
• Keep a record of flood-related activity, such as the amount of time spent cleaning and keep copies of all invoices and receipts
• Do not use flooded appliances, electrical outlets, switch boxes or fuse/breaker panels until they have been checked by your local utility. Arrange for qualified workers to reconnect gas, pump or electrical supplies
• Leave and contact the gas company immediately if there is a smell of gas
• Rinse away contamination inside the home and dispose of the rinse water
• Clean and dry out your house and salvageable possessions as quickly as possible
• Household items that have been contaminated by sewage, or that have been wet for a long time, will have to be bagged, tagged and discarded according to local regulations
• Any food, including those in boxes, jars or cans, that come in contact with flood water must also be discarded
• It is recommended that homeowners with private wells for drinking water test the supply. As a precaution, people should boil their water for three minutes. Test kits are available at the Department of Environment district offices. The department is working with municipalities to have test kits available at municipal offices.

Once the water recedes, homeowners are encouraged to check their on-site septic systems. If the system is not working, contact the local environment office. Homeowners should also check their oil tanks to ensure they are still secure.

Anyone who is in need of financial assistance to meet basic needs can apply for Income Assistance by contacting the local office of the Department of Community Services. All requests are assessed on an individual basis to determine need. In the event that a person is not eligible, staff can advise of other community supports that may be able to help.

For more detailed information on flood clean up and safety visit www.gov.ns.ca/emo.