Flood Watch for Edmonton and Links to Help Southern Alberta
Like you, I’ve been moved by the images we’ve all seen from Southern Alberta. My heart goes out to the people displaced by floodwater and the first responders who are working so hard to protect lives and property. I am proud that the City of Edmonton has sent 100 police to help. [UPDATE: we’ve also sent 100 firefighters as well as several safety codes officers to help with building safety inspections; we have offered drainage crews down to help people get back into their homes as quickly as possible]. I expect there will be more support forthcoming now and for the cleanup.
[UPDATE: Besides donations from citizens, I think the way we’ll be most useful is with the cleanup. One idea that I think is worth exploring further is organizing a group to help with the fairgrounds cleanup so the Stampede can go ahead. Northlands is looking at putting something together and I think it would go a long way to helping Calgary get back to something resembling normal this summer. I’ll be there. This summer, we’re all Stampeders.]
Our own river is surging too, and the City of Edmonton’s Office of Emergency Management has posted information here. The danger is nothing like what we’ve seen in the south, but here are the key points:
- A Flood Watch for Edmonton remains in effect. [UPDATE at June 24, 9am: This is now ended – the river crested yesterday.]
- Drainage continues to monitor the river levels and have initiated some precautions measures.
- You can read or follow the City of Edmonton’s twitter feed for up to date info as our situation develops.
I’ve been getting a lot of questions from Edmontonians about how they can help our Southern cousins, which speaks to our City of Champions spirit (many people think that phrase is about sports, but it comes from something Mayor Lawrence Decore said about our community’s response to the 1987 tornado). For Edmontonians wishing to help, here are some links and updates:
- Reception centres housing evacuees are fully stocked and cannot accept volunteers.<
- With the power in several communities out and evacuated, the Red Cross is providing cots, blankets and hygiene kits to those who need them. The Red Cross has indicated that financial donations are the best way to help those who need it in Southern Alberta, which can be made here.
- Samaritans Purse also has a hotline: 1-866-628-6565
- Road closure information can be found here
- Emergency Updates from the City of Calgary are available here.
- High River updates are here.