Public Service Announcement
Residents Urged to Prepare for Bad Weather
Friday, July 4, 2014 (Halifax, NS) – In light of the storm and wind warnings issued by Environment Canada, the Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents to be prepared and stay safe this weekend.
Currently, weather forecasts are calling for Arthur to make landfall in southwestern Nova Scotia on Saturday morning as a strong post-tropical storm. Arthur is then forecast to track across Nova Scotia to the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence by late Saturday night. The storm is expected to bring periods of rain beginning early in the morning, with winds in the Halifax region gusting up to 90 km/h throughout the day.
In anticipation of the bad weather, all municipal beaches and the outdoor pool at the Halifax Common will be closed on Saturday. All public skates at the Emera Oval are also cancelled.
Some municipal solid waste facilities will also be closed for the day. For details of these closures, go to http://www.halifax.ca/mediaroom/pressrelease/pr2014/PSA-SolidWasteFacilityClosuresonSaturdayJuly5.php.
Municipal Operations staff has its vehicles and equipment ready to respond in the event of downed trees or large branches. The Emergency Management Office (EMO) is working with Environment Canada and other partners to monitor the approaching storm, to gather information and communicate with the public.
Metro Transit staff will be assessing the weather throughout the day tomorrow and will notify the public of any impact on bus or ferry service. Updates will be available via Public Service Announcements and by following @hfxtransit on Twitter, which is also streamed online at www.halifax.ca/metrotransit.
Residents are encouraged to take the following precautions to help minimize the risk of property damage and personal harm during a hurricane or tropical storm:
- Monitor local media broadcasts for weather updates;
- Have enough food and water on hand for 72 hours;
- Secure gates, doors and windows;
- Move or secure lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants and anything else that could be picked up by the wind;
- Have extra batteries on hand for flashlights and radios;
- Fill vehicles with gas and park them away from trees, if possible;
- Remove dead or diseased branches from trees in your yard;
- Keep your pets indoors;
- Move any type of watercraft to high ground; and
- Stay clear of coastlines where high waves could be a safety concern.
Residents will be notified of any municipal service interruptions or program cancellations via Public Service Announcements, the Halifax municipal government website at www.halifax.ca, and through social media, including @hfxgov on Twitter.
Residents can also call the municipality’s Citizen Contact Centre at 311 with their questions or concerns. This service is available daily, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. 311 operators are available to take after-hour urgent requests, however, residents should call 911 in an emergency situation.
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Media Contact:
Jennifer Stairs
Halifax Regional Municipality
Public Affairs
902-476-5975
stewarj@halifax.ca
