Sussex Residents Prepare For Flooding Potential

Residents in low-lying areas of Sussex are all too familiar with the damage that can be caused as a result of heavy rain.

With between 80 and 120 millimetres of rain possible by Wednesday, they are preparing for potential flooding.

Scott Hatcher, the town’s chief administrative officer, said the town is planning ahead for whatever this storm may throw their way.

“It certainly has the potential to impact us adversely,” said Hatcher in a phone interview Tuesday morning.

“Our forecast is getting a little better but still a substantial amount of rain that could fall within the Trout Creek area, causing some concern with respect to the flow working its way through the community and has the potential of overspilling its banks.”

Town officials and residents are well-versed about what needs to happen in the event Trout Creek overflows, but Hatcher said the pandemic means their planning and response has to be altered.

For example, he said, members of the fire department will have to gather at different strategic locations in the town rather than at the fire station, which is home to the emergency operations centre, due to physical distancing requirements.

The fire department will also not be able to go door-to-door to warn of rising floodwaters, according to a post on the town’s Facebook page.

Hatcher said operating plans for emergency evacuation shelters have also changed under pandemic rules.

“We’ve contacted the Canadian Red Cross and we’ve made some preliminary plans with respect to how we can shelter people directly at a hotel, for instance, rather than do the intermediary stuff of moving people to one location to shelter while we make preparations,” he said.

Hatcher said the town has posted a list of preliminary precautions online and on social media to help residents prepare.

As with any weather event, Hatcher said all residents should be prepared to be self-sufficient for up to 72 hours.

Those who have signed up for the town’s Sentinel Alerting System will receive an alert if waters near flood stage.