The Town of Minto is in a better position than in the past to handle emergency situations caused by spring flooding.
New rain gauge equipment, which electronically notifies Maitland Valley Conservation Authority personnel of rising waters, was put in place after the municipality invoked disaster measures following heavy spring flooding in 2008. MVCA officials then notify local authorities, who are able to monitor rising waters in a “proactive” fashion, Fire Chief Chris Harrow told Minto Council at their Jan. 25 Committee of the Whole meeting.
Linda Dickson, Wellington County emergency management co-ordinator, told council a disaster was declared in 2008 because “the MVCA felt it could have become a regional flood that would have taken in half of Harriston.”
Dickson, who attended the meeting to provide Minto Council, which includes five members who were not part of the previous council, with an overview of emergency measures planning in the county.
She told council that future challenges will include a propane risk assessment, inspired by the propane explosion at the Sunrise facility in Toronto in 2008. New measures are in place for commercial storage of propane she explained, noting that Minto has five propane distributors within its boundaries.
County planners will also be working to simplify 911 emergency response in the county. Dickson pointed out that some amalgamated areas, including Minto, are still treated separately by 911 dispatchers because duplicate street name issues weren’t addressed when the system was implemented.
While some street names are common to Harriston, Palmerston and Clifford, Dickson said “it’s not a real issue in Minto because you have three fire [stations] and they know where they are going.”
Dickson told councillors a workshop on councils’ role in emergency management will be held for elected officials in March.
