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City prepped for storm’s full force

NANAIMO - City staff was ready for full force of storm that bypassed the region.

City prepared for onslaught even though storm’s full force bypassed city.

Thousands of homes and businesses suffered temporary power outages, mostly due to downed trees, but even though the brunt of the weekend’s storm bypassed Nanaimo the city reports it was prepared for the worst of the anticipated onslaught.

Pre planning and precautionary actions allowed staff to be immediately respond with all available resources.

Karen Lindsay, emergency program manager, said about 60 additional staff, including members from Nanaimo Fire Rescue, RCMP, public works, senior management, emergency management, information technology plus volunteers and private organizations.

Extra staff were also out at night managing downed utility wires, hydro lines on fire, blocking off roads, and monitoring city utilities.

Wind gusts resulted in downed trees that knocked out electrical power and blew over fences.

“When it did get a little bit more gusty, the first responders were actually quite busy,” Lindsay say. “I think at the peak there was actually 12,000 homes without power.”