Pembroke: Renfrew County has experienced some of the worst flooding in decades and the impact on residents has been severe in many cases. However, it also brought forward the very best of our community as they came together to support one another.
“I am so very proud and humbled by the tremendous acts of support I witnessed in the flood impacted areas these past few weeks,” said Renfrew County Warden Jennifer Murphy. “ Volunteers, neighbours, paramedics, firefighters, elected officials, municipal staff and countless others came together, buckled down and did what needed to be done. I am forever grateful to those that have given hours, and days of their time to fill and stack sandbags, check on neighbours, helped evacuate the elderly, and those who got information out to resident. Thank you, each and every one of you. Your sense of community and selflessness will not be forgotten.”
The Warden stated she knows that a lot of hard work has been done by so many, but that the recovery process will be long and difficult. She has shared the hash tag #OttawaValleyStrong on social media frequently in the last few weeks, and she says “I think that says it all, we are resilient, and dedicated to making sure our community gets through this in the best possible way.”
The waters have started to recede but Warden Murphy hopes that every person impacted by the flooding is putting their own safety first.
“As the flood waters drain away and the full impact of the flood damage is now being revealed, I want to really stress that everyone needs to put their own health and safety first,” she said. “Please use caution during the clean up and consult professional help if you have safety concerns. If you need any information or are unsure where to turn please call your local municipal office for assistance.”
Residents looking for additional information on what to do during and after a flood can access the Renfrew County Flood Impact & Recovery document located on the County of Renfrew Website. http://www.countyofrenfrew.on.ca/_documents/emergency/management/RenfrewCountyFloodImpactRecovery.pdf
The County of Renfrew will continue to post road closures and Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry Flood Warnings to the County’s Face Book and Twitter Feeds, and update the local media whenever possible.
