The City of Enderby is warning residents that it can’t handle all emergencies during high water.
Council has approved its own flood policy as well as endorsing the flood policy from North Okanagan Emergency Management.
“It spells out what we will do and not do during flooding to deal with public expectations,” said Mayor Howie Cyr.
Clarification of the city’s responsibilities arose after high levels on the Shuswap River last year.
“There was the expectation (from some residents) that the city would arrive with equipment and save their property, but that’s not reality,” said Cyr.
“Also, we’re not going to put our emergency management volunteers in harm’s way during flooding.”
Beyond residents being responsible for their own properties, Cyr says the primary role for flooding emergencies rests with the provincial government.
“The City of Enderby lacks the requisite staff resources, technical and financial capacity and therefore shall generally not provide emergency services at site,” states the city’s new policy.
That includes tactical evacuations, clearing of debris from waterways or private lands, constructing flood containment, clearing trees and remedial works.
Areas where the city will be active are providing public information, distributing sand and sand bags, activating an emergency operations centre and providing support services to evacuees.
