NB Power has opened its Emergency Operations centre in preparation for a storm headed our way.
High winds, rain and plummeting temperatures are causing concern.
Spokesperson Marc Belliveau says they’ve been monitoring this system for about a week now, “We have about 350 workers for NB Power from Technicians to Powerline Technicians to those who work our Depots and supplies ready to go.”
Belliveau adds, “The areas of interest to us right now and this could change depending on how the storm tracks, is the Grand Falls area and Northern regions, but also the Woodstock and Saint John areas. They are expected to get high winds.”
On December 24th, many people are gathering with family and friends for Christmas celebrations, so it can be difficult if the power goes out, “We suggest people come to our website where we have some tips on getting together, and putting a 72 Hour Emergency kit together. Also during the storm, it’s important to regularly check our website about outages if they’re in your area. We can change the estimated times of restoration after we’ve done assessments on the damage. And as always safety is the first priority. If you see a downed power line, don’t approach it. Stay at least the length of a school bus away from it and call us or call 911,” Belliveau says.
He also advises if your power does go out, report it to them online, or by using your mobile phone.
Environment Canada has issued rainfall and wind warnings for all of New Brunswick, with wind gusts of up to 110 kilometres an hour. Rainfall amounts could total up to 40 millimetres.
A storm with rain, snow, strong gusts and elevated water levels is forecast for today into Saturday. Travellers should stay informed via trusted sources and adjust plans accordingly.https://t.co/1dsJdJt6IR pic.twitter.com/YfCo5nKacA
— NBEMO / OMUNB (@NBEMO_OMUNB) December 23, 2022