The School District No. 42 website is urging parents to review the district’s power outage protocols in the event of a power outage due to tonight’s expected storm.
A series of powerful October storms are on track to hit the B.C. south coast starting late Wednesday night.
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement that residents across the Lower Mainland and much of Vancouver Island can expect heavy rains and strong winds from Wednesday night through until next weekend.
Total rainfall accumulations may exceed 200 milliimetres for western and inland areas of Vancouver Island, while inner coastal regions may exceed 100 millimetres.
Winds over exposed coastal areas may exceed 80 kilometres per hour at times during the storms.
The decision to close a school will be made on a case-by-case basis.
If there is a power outage that prevents instruction but poses no safety risk for staff or students the school district will try to keep the school open. However, they will ask parents and guardians to make alternate arrangements for their children where possible and return them to school once power is restored.
If there are safety concerns the superintendent will request that the school be closed.
If power should go out during the school day and there are safety concerns, the superintendent may authorize an early dismissal depending on the time of day the outage occurs. In that case the school will contact parents directly.
All details and updates will be posted on the School District 42 Twitter feed, @sd42news, on their Facebook page, SD42Facebook, website, www.sd42.ca and shared with local radio stations News 1130, CKNW and CBC 690.
The region was blasted by the first big storm of the season last Thursday night and early Friday, knocking out power to more than 29,000 customers at the peak.
The storm spared virtually no community on Vancouver Island’s east coast, with winds peaking at 117 kilometres an hour at Trial Island near Oak Bay and Sisters Island off Salt Spring and surpassing 80 km/h in several other areas.
The City of Maple Ridge fire department is also offering advice to residents.
• Have cellphones charged
• Ensure flashlights have batteries installed
• Ensure adequate food and water supplies
• Use candles with care, never leave unattended
• If generators are used, ensure they are located outside and away from windows and doors
• Move any loose items from yards and secure properly
• Stay off the roads and drive only when absolutely required
Maple Ridge’s superintendent of roads Walter Oleschak also advised that people should make sure gutters are clear so stormwater can drain. “The most common cause of flooding in homes comes from water pouring around your foundation from gutters clogged with debris”
He also asked people to ensure that catch basins are kept clear and not to blow debris on to the road.
“Be proactive in protecting the area around your home to reduce the chance of localized flooding.”
* If there is a blockage of a storm sewer or culvert, report it to the Maple RIdge’s operations centre by calling 604-463-9581 at any time of day or night. Operations crews are standing by to work with first responders to deal with any impacts of the storm system forecast to hit the community.
