City crews redeployed to get city back to normal
WINNIPEG - JULY 18, 2005 - A significant number of City of Winnipeg work crews have been redeployed to help with the cleanup of downed trees and fallen signs in the wake of Saturday’s storm, but it could take up to three weeks to complete, Public Works Director Bill Larkin said today.
“Area crews are doing a sweep of the entire city today, street by street, to pick up any fallen limbs and branches. Priority is being given based on public safety. However, our first step was to clear regional streets over the weekend,” Larkin said, adding the public is urged to take continued care around downed or damaged trees.
About a dozen field staff from the Urban Forestry Branch worked throughout Saturday night and all day Sunday until midnight. Today, they’ve been joined by about 300 Parks and Open Space employees and two of the City’s private contractors.
“This is one of the worst storms the City has had to deal with, with respect to our urban forest. Although the entire city was affected, approximately 70 per cent of the calls have come in from the north area of the city.”
Crews with chainsaws and equipment (bucket trucks, loaders, dump trucks and chippers) are working full-out to respond to some of the 517 calls that came into the Public Works Customer Service Call Centre between noon and 10 p.m., Sunday, and that are continuing to come in today.
Up until 10 a.m. today, there have been an additional 237 calls - 88 forestry-related and 149 service requests. Yesterday, 388 service requests were processed.
The Water and Waste Emergency Services Dispatchers received more than 3,000 calls in the past 36 hours, the majority of which were about downed trees and power lines. Only about 80 calls were related to sewer backups and basement flooding.
However, an additional 92 reports of sewer backups were received this morning.
“Our sewer collection system has been running at full capacity, and our crews worked throughout the night monitoring all flood pumping stations, lift stations and wastewater treatment plants,” Water and Waste Director Barry MacBride said.
Residents are once again reminded to install a sewer backup valve, install and maintain a sump pit and pump, improve drainage around the foundation of their houses and extend downspouts away from their house, MacBride said.
Because of the heavy rainfall over a short time period - Fort Richmond received the highest recorded amount of 108 mm, most falling over 45 minutes - a majority of underpasses flooded Saturday, but are now back in service.
Some street flooding is ongoing and in South Transcona, several streets are closed.
City crews are out inspecting ditches to ensure there are no blockages that could further contribute to flooding. Street crews are also on the lookout for any sink holes that might result from the continued rainfall.
Traffic control signal crews have also been working round-the-clock since Saturday to restore all signals knocked out during the storm.
Because of the uncertainty caused by the storm, Joe Egan, the City’s public aid co-ordinator, was called out as of 4 a.m., Sunday. Throughout the day, Egan remained on standby and in constant contact with Winnipeg Fire/Paramedic Service and Manitoba Hydro should an emergency evacuation have been necessary because of power outages, flooding and other storm-related damages.
Last update: 18.07.2005
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