The Honourable Carolyn Bertram, Minister responsible for Public Safety in Prince Edward Island issued the following statement to thank Islanders and response teams for their efforts in preparing for, and enduring, post-tropical storm Noel this weekend.
“I want to congratulate and thank Islanders for their diligence. While we certainly experienced some high winds and heavy rains, and a number of people were left without power, we can be grateful that our province was not hit as hard as our neighbors in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.”
“The responsibility for public safety starts with the individual and our local media and Environment Canada both did a great job advising Islanders to prepare for the anticipated severe weather. They kept us well informed during the event. The media often referenced the 72-hour preparedness guide, which was delivered to Island homes this spring, and this information helped individuals and businesses prepare during the days preceding the storm.”
“With global climate changes worldwide, severe weather such as we experienced over this past weekend may be on the increase. We all must be adequately prepared.”
“I want to acknowledge the vigilance of our emergency responder community who provided readiness and emergency service delivery during the storm. I also commend the men and women of Maritime Electric for their efforts to maintain and restore services under adverse conditions.”
“Islanders are inherently resilient, and collectively we can take steps to ensure we will be able to take steps to cope with whatever Mother Nature may offer as a challenge in the future.”
BACKGROUNDER
Except for power outages, there were no reports of significant damage in Prince Edward Island. Environment Canada officials earlier stated that this storm was unusual for the region because of it’s size and uncertainties. Emergency Measures staff will be carrying out assessments to determine the full effect of Noel in Prince Edward Island. The Joint Emergency Operations Centre (JEOC) was in enhanced monitoring mode from late afternoon on Saturday until mid morning Sunday. The JEOC is a joint operations centre in downtown Charlottetown, which houses Public Safety Canada, and the Prince Edward Island Office of Public Safety. The PEI Red Cross was also prepared to offer assistance and activated their emergency centre over the weekend.
The Emergency Measures Organization, which is one component of the Provincial Office of Public Safety, provides an emergency management system for the protection of persons, property and the environment in response to all emergencies and disasters.
For more information on how to be prepared or, to obtain a copy of the 72-hour booklet, contact the PEI Office of Public Safety by telephone at 894-0385 or by email at emo@gov.pe.ca. The 24/7 emergency phone number for the PEI Emergency Measures Organization is (902) 892-9365.