Grand Forks Emergency Operations Centre to Level 1
By Boundary Sentinel
In a media release Friday, the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary said its Emergency Operations Centre in Grand Forks is now activated to Level 1.
The release said RDKB staff and municipal partners met at the EOC in Grand Forks on April 25 to make sure local government is prepared to respond to possible flooding in the coming weeks. The EOC will activate to Level 2 if necessary.
“The RDKB emergency response team stands organized and ready,” said Roly Russell, chair of the RDKB Board and electoral area director for Area ‘D’/Rural Grand Forks.
“Our regional staff are working with our municipal partners and provincial agencies to make sure we are geared up and prepared to support our communities.”
With predicted seasonal weather and some rain in the forecast, the river levels will continue to rise steadily through the end of April.
“Our job at the EOC is to prepare for and respond to an overall emergency if it occurs, with human safety top of mind. We are already have made sandbags available to residents across the region, with sand also available now in Grand Forks at strategic locations,” said Chris Marsh, Emergency Program Manager at the RDKB.
Several local volunteer groups have already formed in Grand Forks to assist local residents to obtain sandbags and to sandbag their property if necessary. The Kettle River Watershed Authority will connect local residents with volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering or who needs help with sandbagging can contact KRWA at 250-442-4111 or plan@kettleriver.ca.
Information on where to find sandbags in each RDKB community, as well as information on flood preparedness and river flow levelsis available at rdkb.com.
To report flooding at your home or business please call the Provincial Emergency Reporting Line – 1-800-663-3456.
