When it comes to flooding here, Minto is using the past to prepare for the future.
At a recent meeting explaining flood risks to Harriston residents, Minto Fire chief Chris Harrow said, “We learned a lot after the flood in 2008.”
That is now being used to plan for the future.
“All of that, is to help you better in the event of a flood.”
Changes to the monitoring used by the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority will allow faster notification to Minto.
With that information from the MVCA town staff will do an assessment, he said.
“What we do then, is implement our evacuation plan. We’ve identified the trailer park is our first priority because it is the first place that is going to be flooded.”
He said residents would be notified either by the fire department, public works, or a Minto representative. Staff would then proceed to other areas, depending on where the river is rising, Harrow said.
They would use loudspeakers on emergency vehicles and by going door to door to tell residents the river is rising, recommend that they evacuate, and state where the evacuation centre is located.
“With the rain gauges [recently installed upstream] we are buying ourselves a couple of extra hours. What we found in 2008 was that the river came up so fast, we had to react a lot quicker.
“With the information we’re going to be getting now, we’re going to have two hours to give residents more time to prepare.”
He said it is extremely important, that if residents are not going to go to the evacuation centre, they should register when they are going to be.
In the event of the regional flood, the town may need to arrange bussing to evacuation centres in other communities, before the river starts to close off road access routes.
In 2008, a lot of people chose to stay with family or friends.
“But we still need you to register with us, and a telephone number, as to where we can contact you for utility shutoffs, reconnect, or when the flood is over, that you are welcome to come home.”
“One of the main ways we will be providing information to our residents, is through our website,” Harrow said.
He recommended constantly checking that site, because staff will keep changing the information as part of its emergency plan. “We can put MVCA information on the site as well as the location of evacuation centres.”
The other means of getting information is through CKNX radio. “They’ve been good in the past to let us put on notices or bulletins.
He said residents should go to the evacuation centre with their 72 hour emergency kit.
He added residents should only shut off utilities, if requested. Union Gas or Westario Power will likely shut off utilities for an entire area.
Harrow said to contact family, friends and the municipality.
If residents are uncertain where someone is, “We’d really like to know that.”
In the list of items for the 72-hour kit, Harrow stressed the importance of taking along medications.
It is important to keep them in an easy-to-grab spot, he said.
Things to consider are safe exits from the home and the neighbourhood
“We will help you with that. Some paths may be impassible.”
