Monday, November 8, 2010

Ground Search & Rescues Get Communications Upgrade

Nova Scotians and search volunteers will soon be even safer thanks to a new project to upgrade Ground Search and Rescue voice communications. A 1.3-million dollar federal grant from the National Search and Rescue Secretariat New Initiative Fund will provide all search and rescue volunteers in Nova Scotia with updated, standardized handheld communications equipment.  Emergency Management Minister Ramona Jennex says Ground Search and Rescue teams are there for Nova Scotians when they are in desperate trouble. She says these new radios will help find people more quickly, and help ensure the safety of the ground search and rescue teams. The grant also includes funding for a project co-ordinator.

UPDATED ROAD CLOSURES (5PM, MON.NOV.8)

A number of South Shore roads are closed because of flooding.


LUNENBURG COUNTY;
--Trunk 10, through Pinehurst area from Feeners Corner Road to Goose Chase Road (Detour route is Feeners Corner Road to Northfield Road to Goose Chase Road)

QUEENS COUNTY
--Rosette Road closed between Harlow and Moose Pit --Old Westfield Road, intermittently closed between Trunk 8 in Harmony to Westfield at MacGowan Lake

SHELBURNE COUNTY:

--Back Hill Road
--Upper Clyde Road West
--Upper Clyde Road East (Local traffic only at the Hemlock Branch Bridge)

***************************************
All trails in Lunenburg county are off limits until further notice.
The Municipality of Lunenburg is urging the public to stay away from walking routes as they many be unsafe, flooded and washed-out.

*****************************************
Local emergency officials are cautioning people to keep a watch on their properties as water levels continue to rise along the Lahave River and in Petite Riviere. Heather Mackenzie-Carey, the regional emergency management coordinator for Lunenburg County says road and water systems are being monitored. Carey reminds residents who have wells in flooded areas they should consider the need to test their water supply to ensure it has not been contaminated.

QUEENS COUNTY ROAD CLOSURES

Several roads in Queens County are now inaccessible.


County RCMP and Emergency Measures have closed several roads in the region due to high water levels.

The Old Westfield Road and the Westfield Road between the Bridges,

The Murley Road, the Corkum Road, The Medway River Road at Deans Brook are all closed. Highway Eight is also closed for smaller vehicles at the Hunts flat area.

Sections of the River Road in Milton area are also closed.

RCMP are reminding the public to be aware that as water levels rise more roads could be effected and to use extra caution during this time.

SCHOOLOUT EARLY

Students at North Queens Community School were dismissed early today.

School officials were contacted by the Department of Natural Resources that a dam would be released in the region and that there was increased risk of flooding near school grounds.

The South Shore Regional School Board is advising parents that route 100 is running late getting students home.

SHELLFISH HARVEST BAN IMPOSED IN SW NOVA SCOTIA

All the rain over the weekend has led to the closure of a wide section of coastal southwestern Nova Scotia to shellfish harvesting.

A ban has been put in place, closing all waters within five kilometres of the high water mark of the mainland shoreline and islands of Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby and Annapolis Counties for the harvesting of all or any bi-valve molluscs such as soft-shelled clams, bar clams, bay quahaugs, mussels, scallops, etc.until further notice.
The closure is because of an increase in levels of bacteriological contamination caused by the heavy rainfall.

MANY ROADS CLOSED BY FLOODING

A number of South Shore roads are closed because of flooding from the rain that came down over the weekend.

The Department of Transportation has advised us the Haines Road in Barss Corner is shut down.
Also, Lower Branch Road from Osborne Road to Trunk 10.
Veinot Road, Osborne to Trunk 10.
McKeen Road, the Trunk 10 end.
Chester Grant Road.
Again, those roads in Lunenburg County closed this morning because of flooding.
Meanwhile, in Shelburne County, officials have closed the Upper Clyde Road (West) near the Bloody Creek bridge.
In Queens County, the Medway River Road, at Deans Brook to Buggy Hole in Bangs Falls and the Westfield Road, at both bridge locations have been closed to traffic due to flooding.