Types of Victoria County alerts:

• Changes to waste collection schedules (Cancellation, delays, etc.)
• Municipal closures at any of our facilities
• Disruptions in water service (only available for Victoria County Water Utility customers in Little Narrows, Ingonish, Neil’s Harbour and Dingwall)
• Boil orders
• Significant weather impacts on Victoria County

Click here to register: Click here to register online to receive email or text-based alerts

Mobile App Users: Download and install the Voyent Alert! app from the Apple or Google Play app stores.

EMO Links

• Emergency Preparedness Guide – Government of Canada

https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yprprdnssgd/index-en.aspx#s2

• EMO Nova Scotia

https://beta.novascotia.ca/government/emergency-management-office

Basic 72-hour Emergency Kit

• Water – at least two litres of water per person per day; include small bottles that can be carried easily in case of an evacuation order
• Food that won’t spoil, such as canned food, energy bars and dried foods (replace food and water once a year)
• Manual can-opener
• Crank or battery-powered flashlight (and extra batteries). Replace batteries once a year.
• Crank, battery-powered radio (and extra batteries)
• First aid kit
• Extra keys to your car and house
• Some cash in smaller bills, such as $10 bills
• A copy of your emergency plan and contact information
• If applicable, other items such as prescription medication, infant formula, equipment for people with disabilities, or food, water and medication for your pets or service animal (personalize according to your needs)

Recommended additional items

• Two additional litres of water per person per day for cooking and cleaning
• Candles and matches or lighter (place candles in deep, sturdy containers and do not burn unattended)
• Change of clothing and footwear for each household member
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each household member
• Toiletries
• Hand sanitizer
• Utensils
• Garbage bags
• Toilet paper
• Water purifying tablets
• Basic tools (hammer, pliers, wrench, screwdrivers, work gloves, dust mask, pocketknife)
• A whistle (in case you need to attract attention)
• Duct tape (to tape up windows, doors, air vents, etc.)

Keep some cash on hand, as automated bank machines and their networks may not work during an emergency. You may have difficulty using debit or credit cards.

Source: https://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yprprdnssgd/index-en.aspx#s4

Make an emergency plan

Every Canadian household needs an emergency plan. It will help you and your family know what to do in case of an emergency. It will take you about 20 minutes to make your plan.

Your family may not be together when an emergency occurs. Plan how to meet or how to contact one another and discuss what you would do in different situations.

Once complete, keep this document in an easy-to-find, easy-to-remember place (for example, with your emergency kit). Photocopy this plan and keep it in your car and/or at work, and a copy close to your phone.

Here are some things to include in your plan:

• Safe exits from home and neighbourhood
• Meeting places to reunite with family or roommates
• Designated person to pick up children should you be unavailable
• Contact persons close-by and out-of-town
• Health and insurance information
• Places for your pet to stay
• Risks in your region
• Location of your fire extinguisher, water valve, electrical panel, gas valve and floor drain

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca

Hurricanes

Hurricane season officially runs from June through November when the waters of the Atlantic Ocean are warm enough to produce a tropical cyclone, a category of weather systems that includes tropical depressions, tropical storms and hurricanes.

What to do when a Hurricane Watch or Warning is issued

Hurricanes can often be predicted one or two days in advance of their landfall. The key to hurricane protection is preparation. By taking precautions before, during, and after a hurricane, lives can be saved and property damage averted.

It is important to stay informed by listening to the latest warnings and advisories on radio, television, or web sites. The Canadian Hurricane Centre will issue and update these when necessary.

• If a hurricane is forecast, secure everything that might be blown around or torn loose. Flying objects such as garbage cans and lawn furniture can injure people and damage property.
• Trim dead branches and cut down dead trees to reduce the danger of these falling onto your house during a storm.
• Stock up on water, ready-to-eat food and heating fuel, as well as battery-powered or wind-up flashlights and radios – and extra batteries. Make sure that there is gasoline in the car. For a complete list of emergency supplies, go to emergency kits.
• If you live on the coast or in a low-lying area near the coast, be prepared to move inland and to higher ground if instructed by local officials. The high winds can create large waves at sea which may become storm surges when they reach the shore. If you are advised by officials to evacuate, do so. Take your emergency kit with you.

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca

During a hurricane

• Always check the marine forecast ( Weather office )before going boating and listen to weather reports during your cruise. Never go out in a boat during a storm. If you are on the water and you see bad weather approaching, head for shore immediately.
• Do not go down to the water to watch the storm. Most people who are killed during hurricanes are caught in large waves, storm surges or flood waters.
• If the eye of the hurricane passes over, there will be a lull in the wind lasting from two or three minutes to half an hour. Stay in a safe place. Make emergency repairs only and remember that once the eye has passed over, the winds will return from the opposite direction with possibly even greater force.
• Listen for reports from authorities on your portable radio.
• If lightning is present, remember that you can use a cellular telephone during a severe storm, but it’s not safe to use a land-line telephone.

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca

Blizzards

A blizzard, in general, is when winds of 40 km/h or greater are expected to cause widespread reductions in visibility to 400 metres or less, due to blowing snow, or blowing snow in combination with falling snow, for at least four hours.

• Blizzards come in on a wave of cold arctic air, bringing snow, bitter cold, high winds and poor visibility in blowing snow. While these conditions must last for at least four hours to be designated a blizzard, they may last for several days.
• Poor visibility, low temperatures and high winds combine to create a significant hazard.

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca

Wind

• Strong winds, and especially gusty winds, can cause property damage or turn any loose item into a dangerous projectile, and create unsafe travelling conditions that affect your ability to safely steer your car.
• When there is a wind warning for your area, you should expect inland winds to be blowing steadily at 60-65 km/h or more, or winds that are gusting up to 90 km/h or more. Secure or put away loose objects such as outdoor furniture or garbage cans, put your car in the garage, and bring livestock to shelter.
• With winds between 60 and 70 km/h, you will have difficulty with balance and walking against the wind. Twigs and small branches could also blow off trees and cause a hazard, so stay inside until it is safe.

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca

Power outages

Most power outages will be over almost as soon as they begin, but some can last much longer – up to days or even weeks. Power outages are often caused by freezing rain, sleet storms and/or high winds which damage power lines and equipment. Cold snaps or heat waves can also overload the electric power system.

During a power outage, you may be left without heating/air conditioning, lighting, hot water, or even running water. If you only have a cordless phone, you will also be left without phone service. If you do not have a battery-powered or crank radio, you may have no way of monitoring news broadcasts. In other words, you could be facing major challenges.

You can greatly lessen the impact of a power outage by taking the time to prepare in advance. You and your family should be prepared to cope on your own during a power outage for at least 72 hours.

Nova Scotia Power provides electricity in Nova Scotia.

NS Power:  https://www.nspower.ca/

NSP Outage Map: http://outagemap.nspower.ca/external/default.html

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca

Floods

To reduce the likelihood of flood damage

• Put weather protection sealant around basement windows and the base of ground-level doors.
• Install the drainage for downspouts a sufficient distance from your residence to ensure that water moves away from the building.
• Consider installing a sump pump and zero reverse flow valves in basement floor drains.
• Do not store your important documents in the basement. Keep them at a higher level, protected from flood damage.

If a flood is forecast

• Turn off basement furnaces.
• Take special precautions to safeguard electrical or propane heating equipment.
• If there is enough time, consult your electricity or fuel supplier for instructions on how to proceed.

If flooding is imminent

• Move furniture, electrical appliances and other belongings to floors above ground level.
• Remove toxic substances such as pesticides and insecticides from the flood area to prevent pollution.
• Remove toilet bowls and plug basement sewer drains and toilet connections with a wooden stopper.
• Disconnect eavestroughs if they are connected to the house sewer.
• In some cases, homes may be protected with sandbags or polyethylene barriers. This approach requires specific instructions from your local emergency officials.
• Do NOT attempt to shut off electricity if any water is present. Water and live electrical wires can be lethal. Leave your home immediately and do not return until authorities indicate it is safe to do so.

Source: www.getprepared.gc.ca