Hurricane Lee Preparations - Sep 12, 2023
Dear residents of Victoria,
With the potential approach of Hurricane Lee this Saturday/Sunday and into Monday, we wanted to send out the following note.
The municipality is receiving daily weather briefings on Hurricane Lee, from provincial EMO. While it is still too early to forecast local impacts with certainty, it is better to be over-prepared than to be surprised.
The municipality will send a further email notice to residents about Hurricane Lee on Friday evening, based on updated forecasts and information from EMO. Please keep an eye out for that, and follow local news media.
In this newsletter:
1 - How the Municipality is Preparing
2 - How you can prepare in advance this week
3 - What to do shortly before a storm arrives
4 - If the power goes out
5 - GENERATORS - availability and safety
1 - How the Municipality is Preparing
Communication:
Last week, we had a Planning meeting for a generalised local emergency scenario. From that meeting, we are preparing contact lists, roles and responsibilities for coordination that can be used during any emergency in the municipality, to be registered with provincial EMO as our official plan.
We will have a Hurricane-Lee-specific meeting on Friday afternoon/early evening, to confirm roles and responsibilities in the event of a widespread power outage in the village following this particular storm. If you would like to volunteer to take on a particular responsibility, please let us know what type of role you may be interested in, before Thursday lunchtime.
If there is an extended power outage (lasting more than 2 days), or if there is a failure of telephone/internet networks, we will use the schoolhouse as an Emergency Operations Centre and in-person communication hub for the community.
Water & Sewer:
Our central sewage/wastewater system is currently only partially provided with backup power. The municipality is in the process of having another backup power installations done, but it will not be complete until Jan/Feb 2024.
For the one generator installed (at the lighthouse, serving residences in the central core), it has recently been serviced, and checked to verify that it will automatically turn on in the event of an outage. This week, we are also ensuring that multiple local people have the keys and know how to turn it on manually, if a manual start-up is required.
We are aware of where pump-outs would need to occur if an extended power outage occurs.We will not have backup power on the municipal water supply system until Jan/Feb 2024. Therefore, for Hurricane Lee, we are connecting with a local business that has backup power on their freshwater supply, in the event that a longer outage occurs.
Should an extended power outage occur, which de-pressurises a water system and can lead to infiltration, water tests will be taken upon re-starting the system. After a re-start, residents will be informed when the water has been confirmed as safe to drink.
Fire Department:
As always, the Department is reviewing their local preparedness plans, and ensuring that all equipment is ready and distributed, so they can be available to help should an emergency situation arise that threatens life or property, or where first responders are required.
2 - How you can prepare in advance this week
Talk to your local friends and neighbours about how you might be able to support each other in the event of a local power-outage or an emergency situation:
Who has spare rooms and could host guests, for example if a roof was damaged, and a family needed to vacate their house?
Who has/doesn’t have a generator/household battery?
Who has/doesn’t have a deep freeze?
Who has disabilities or specific medical needs?
Avoid buying large amounts of perishable food this week, in case the power goes out and your fridge/freezer is unable to be kept cold.
Prepare an emergency power supply (ie, a generator or battery system). If you feel that you will need one, but don’t have access to one, see the last section of this newsletter.
Complete your own Emergency Preparedness Plan. Paper copies of this workbook are available at the municipal office.
Inform the municipality if you need additional support. 902 658 2541 or victoriamunicipalitypei@gmail.com, or visit the municipal office during office hours.
Clear any blocked drains/culverts/drainpipes on your property, in case heavy rainfall leads to localised flooding.
Get prepared with 72-hour preparedness kits:
3 - What to do shortly before a storm arrives
Check the up-to-date weather forecast on expected impacts and timing
Clear potential projectiles. Put away lawn furniture, and if high winds are forecast, tie down/stake down trampolines and similar potential projectiles. Ask friends, neighbours or inform the municipality or fire department if you will need assistance with this.
Ensure you have enough water for 72 hours. The municipality does not yet have backup generators on our water system in place. Therefore, anyone on the municipal water system should prepare a 72-hour water supply, in the same way as residents with private wells:
Fill jugs and pots with enough drinking water for 3 days
Enjoy a shower or bath before the storm arrives, in case you won’t be able to do so during an extended power outage! And,
Fill a bathtub with water for flushing your toilet.
Charge your phone and any other communication devices & battery supplies.
Prepare your fridge/freezer:
Turn the temperature in your fridge and freezers to the coldest possible setting, so that they can stay colder for longer.
The coolest part of the fridge will be at the back of the lower shelves – this is the best place to store meat, fish, seafood and other perishables that are breeding grounds for bacteria. (The warmest part of the fridge will be the door and top shelves.)
Fill any spare space in your fridge or freezer with jugs of water/ice blocks: this will help to maintain a cold temperature if the power goes out.
If you have spare freezer capacity, it may make sense to freeze extra meat, milk and other items that won’t be consumed immediately. Or offer additional freezer space to your neighbours.
4 - If the power goes out
Look after your own family’s needs first, then check in on vulnerable friends and neighbours.
Conserve your water supply, using only what is necessary.
If you are on the central sewage system, ‘go easy’ on the sewer system until power is restored. The municipality may need to coordinate periodic pump-outs of various tanks around the village. Inform municipal staff, or Richard van Buskirk (local support for our water & sewer operator) immediately if you experience a sewer backup during a power outage.
If you are using a generator, follow the generator guidelines below.
And as always, call 911 if you require Fire, Ambulance or Police assistance.
5 - GENERATORS - availability and safety:
If you or your neighbours need a generator, and do not have one, please let us know at the municipal office - 902 658 2541 or victoriamunicipalitypei@gmail.com. The municipality has 15 generators which can be loaned to residents to help in emergency situations, with support for operation if needed. The Fire Department keeps a confidential list of medically vulnerable and elderly people in the community to check on, and they will be prioritized for support with generators. Please let us know if you think that your household, or a neighbour, should be on that priority list.
Be sure that your generator is recently serviced, that you have sufficient fuel and clean engine oil, and be aware of safe operation:
Protect yourself and your loved ones from carbon monoxide poisoning and potential death resulting from incorrect generator use: Generators must only be operated outdoors, in well-ventilated spaces, not on a deck, porch, or near an open window or doorway.
Consider fire safety! Do not store fuel (which is explosive in a fire) near a heat source or living space.
If you have a generator, but need support to service or operate it, please speak with your neighbours, or inform the Victoria Fire Department. You are responsible for its safe operation.
Please consider the location of your generator, as the noise and fumes can cause nuisance to neighbours.
Consider efficiency: generators do not need to be run 24/7. Efficient use can save on fuel costs and unnecessary trips to the gas station. The most electricity-intensive appliances in a house are usually refrigerators and freezers. During an extended power outage:
Place a thermometer in your fridge to give you information on exact temperatures. The “safe time” for food, once the temperature rises above 4ºC, is two hours. Food should be eaten or cooked within this time.
Cook the most perishable foods first. Potentially hazardous foods are: raw meats, seafoods, milk/cream products, cooked rice/beans/pasta, and cut vegetables)
For fridges, use approximately a 1-hour on /4-hour off cycle: operating a generator for an hour is usually sufficient to cool the contents of a fridge down to a safe, low temperature, and an average refrigerator will keep food cold for around four hours without power, if the door is unopened, although older models will not be as efficient at retaining heat.
Deep freezes will stay frozen for more than 48 hours. Running a generator for about 4 hours every 2 days should be sufficient to keep it frozen.
Try to open fridges and freezers as rarely as possible. Plan only to access the fridge while the generator/battery is running, and remove in one step all the food and beverages that you will need for the next few hours, so that you can avoid opening and closing the door.