by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
WHITEWATER REGION — There have been no shortages of volunteers to help during the emergency situation in the Westmeath and La Passe areas of Whitewater Region township – whether it be sand bagging, delivering sand bags, helping build sand bag dikes, providing food and beverages at the Westmeath community centre or the church hall in La Passe.
The support from the community has been overwhelming has been said over and over by hundreds of people.
It’s tragic, but some people have had to leave their homes due to the flood waters just being too much, with some experiencing flooding as high as counter tops, and some losing their basements to the rising waters.
You can’t turn on the news or read a newspaper where there isn’t something about the flooding, whether it be in the areas of Petawawa, Whitewater Region, Horton township, McNab/Braeside and even as far as Ottawa and Cumberland.
Many roads are impassable and that’s where the army comes in. Since Whitewater Region is not equipped to do wellness checks on those homes where people have remained and those that have been evacuated due to the flooding, the army is conducting those. They are using their LAVS, canoes and specialized motor boats to traverse the swollen roads and waterways.
The Westmeath Community Centre remains open each day from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Township firefighters have been recruited to assist where necessary – mostly in the sand bagging area. On Tuesday and Wednesday, some even went out with the army to do wellness checks.
Township roads employees are delivering sand and bags during their off-duty hours, and while they get paid for the times they are called out – many are also assisting on their own time. Chief Administrative Officer Robert Tremblay said when township employees, including firefighters, are called on to do certain jobs, they are paid, but that’s due to the union contract and provincial guidelines.
“Many don’t want to get paid, but because of regulations they have to be paid,” he said. “They are doing work on behalf of the township.”
CAO Tremblay said the salaried employees will be paid for overtime.
Wednesday morning, May 1, fire chief Jonathan Wilker, who is also manager of emergency services, said for now, the volunteers can take a breather. There are sand bags already filled that could be used if needed.
He noted along with volunteers working at the sand dome in Westmeath, school children at Beachburg Public School and Our Lady of Grace Catholic School filled sand bags as well. While Cobden District Public School wanted to fill bags as well, he said, “While we appreciated their offer to help, logically they were just too far” for sand and bags to be dropped off.
Currently, 170,000 sand bags have been deployed and 141 dump truck loads of sand have been used, he said.
“That’s a lot of sand bags,” he said, noting in Ottawa, 1 million bags were used and there are 1 million people in that city, while in a township of 7,000, 174,000 sand bags have been used – so far.
“We are watching the water levels,” Chief Wilker said, noting he receives freshet calls every day from other municipalities and the county. “The levels are holding. We’re just worrying about the rain and wind that’s coming.”
The firefighters who were on sand bag duty are now going out with the military to check properties to ensure the sand bags are holding, and if they aren’t, they can secure them, he said.
There have also been nine MNRF staff in Whitewater Region and more in Horton Township, said Darnel Gilbert, the strike team leader for two crews in Whitewater Region. There are 54 staff throughout Renfrew County.
“It’s pretty messy out there,” he said.
Since MNRF staff are not allowed to work in the water, they have been filling sand bags, he said.
The staff are from Haliburton, North Bay, Sudbury, Cochrane and Timmins.
“These are the guys who are normally fighting fires,” Mr. Gilbert said.
Chief Wilker noted there are 140 military personnel working in Whitewater Region and Laurentian Valley.
“Their primary focus is wellness checks because life safety is our priority,” he said.
Chief Wilker noted there is 62 kilometres of waterfront in the township, and while Muskrat Lake was a concern last weekend, the water level is decreasing, so any volunteers/employees in that area have been deployed to the Ottawa River.
Currently, Foresters Falls Road between Mansel Hill Road and Hwy. 17 remains closed, but he was hopeful it would re-open to emergency vehicles only.
While there are other roads within the township that remain closed, Chief Wilker is hopeful people will continue to respect the ‘closed road’ signs, as they have been doing.
CAO Tremblay said not obeying the sign could result in a Highway Traffic Act violation.
“We are urging people to stay away from flooded areas and if you have to go over flooded water, take caution,” he stressed.
Chief Wilker said this is a “once in a generation” flood, noting homes that have never flooded before are being flooded, adding, there are homes built in the flood plain that do get flooded each year.
Mayor Mike Moore decided at 9 p.m. Thursday, April 25 to declare a state of emergency because all local resources were exhausted, he said.
“He made the right decision,” Chief Wilker said.
CAO Tremblay said on that date, the emergency management team had met and thought things would be okay until Monday. However, at 5 p.m. Thursday, “there was a drastic change on the river.”
He said about 50 homes have been voluntarily evacuated and while it is a dangerous situation with the high water levels, the township “has no power to force people to leave their homes.” What is asked is they let the township office know they have vacated the homes.
If you need lodging, contact the Red Cross at 1-866-637-4263.
He noted there is funding available for the township and for the home owners through disaster funding and an update will be provided to council at its May 8 meeting.
Anyone who is applying for disaster relief funding has 120 days from the date of the announcement. Information on this program can be found at www.ontario.ca/page/apply-disaster-recovery-assistance.
The township has an emergency services budget of less than $10,000, however, there are other funds available because in previous years the whole amount wasn’t used, he said.
This year there are “exceptional circumstances,” he said. “There are people beyond the flood pain who are being affected. This is not an ordinary year.”
However, CAO Tremblay said there are people who live in the floodplain but have done so for generations. Those people are prepared with their own sand bags and other means of keeping water at bay as much as possible.
“This is a waterfront community,” he said, adding, “Our people are resilient, they will get through this.”
In reviewing the sand bags, CAO Tremblay said in 2017, 34,000 bags were used, while this year, it’s above 170,000 sand bags.
He noted Muskrat Lake is starting to go down, and the roads that were affected were Fought, McFarlane and Stella. For updated information on road closures, people are encouraged to check out www.municipal511.ca.
“Many of the roads impacted are private roads,” he said.
CAO Tremblay said people can visit www.ottawariver.ca for the latest information on the levels of the Ottawa River.
For those who enjoy boating and want to check out the affected areas, he said, don’t.
“If you are not assisting with flood operations, do not boat in the affected areas of the Ottawa River,” CAO Tremblay said. “The wake and waves caused by boats can cause damage to sandbag walls which are protecting property. When travel by boat is necessary for emergencies, please control speed and select routes to minimize impact on affected properties.”
Until the emergency is over, the site command is the Westmeath garage office and is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The phone number is 613-587-4835.
