Transportation and Transit
Local authorities are establishing resiliency centres for those impacted by flooding in the Peace Region.
These centres will be located in the communities of Dawson Creek and Chetwynd to assist residents in their recovery and to provide access to information about the Province’s Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA) program.
Information regarding the resiliency centres and other recovery steps will also be conveyed at town hall meetings in both communities early next week.
A town hall meeting will take place in Dawson Creek on Monday, June 19,2016, at 7 p.m. in the Encana Centre located at 1, 300 Highway 2, Dawson Creek.
The Dawson Creek resiliency centre will be located at the Calvin Kruk Centre at 10401 – 10th Street, Dawson Creek. While the centre is being established, general inquiries can be directed to the Peace River Regional District’s Emergency Operations Centre at 250 784-3200.
A town hall meeting will take place in Chetwynd on Tuesday, June 20, 2016, at 7 p.m. at the Chetwynd Recreation Centre’s Cottonwood Hall at 4600 North Access Road. Later in the week, the Chetwynd resiliency centre will open at the same address.
Emergency Management BC has deployed DFA experts to the region to begin assessments of damage and assist qualifying flood victims.
DFA is now available to eligible British Columbians in the Peace Region, including Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, Pouce Coupe, the First Nations community of Saulteau and the Peace River Regional District who may have been impacted from the major flooding that occurred this past week.
DFA is available to homeowners, residential tenants, small business owners, farmers, charitable organizations and local governments who were unable to obtain insurance to cover these disaster-related losses.
DFA is available when the losses could not be insured or where other programs are not available, and it helps to replace or restore essential items and property that have been destroyed or damaged to pre-disaster condition.
Applications for DFA must be submitted to Emergency Management BC by September 15, 2016. British Columbians can access the DFA application form at: http://ow.ly/CKSs301ncgO
If you are returning home or were unable to get home during the recent flooding, Emergency Management BC asks that you take precautions for your personal safety.
Do not return home until your local emergency operations authority announces the emergency is over. Before returning, make sure there is a safe water supply and that the sewage disposal system in your area is functional.
Contact your local health unit about possible contamination of foodstuffs. As a general rule, avoid a health hazard by destroying all food which was submerged in flood waters.
Do not turn on an electrical switch, or any electrical equipment which has been flooded, until it is checked by a qualified electrician.
Use caution when removing building materials and furniture that have become wet with flood water. Extensive mould growth will likely occur. Failure to remove contaminated materials and reduce moisture and humidity can present serious long-term health risks such as respiratory disease and allergic reactions. People with mould allergies or compromised immune systems are most at risk of potential illness.
Learn More:
Environmental Health Officers can provide advice on the best ways to clean up after a flood: https://northernhealth.ca/…/EnvironmentalHea…/ContactUs.aspx
Be careful when beginning a clean-up. Be aware of physical, microbiological, and chemical hazards :http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile20.stm
Flooding and food safety: http://www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles/hfile20.stm
On your own water supply? Contact Environmental Health Officer to ensure its safe before use: https://northernhealth.ca/…/EnvironmentalHea…/ContactUs.aspx
Sewage systems & flooding: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/…/hea…/sewage_systems_and_flooding.pdf
After flood, follow proper clean-up steps to minimize risks: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/…/emerg…/flood-protection-and-planning
For information on flood conditions, visit Emergency Info BC: https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/
