Winter 2010-2011 has been tough on the Maritimes. From hurricanes to heavy winds and rains, the deluge has been nearly constant, and has resulted in extensive damage and flooding in many areas of Atlantic Canada.
It all began with Hurricane Earl in early September. Wind speeds reached a high of 135 km/h, creating power outages that affected over 200,000 homes and businesses.
This was immediately followed by Hurricane Igor – considered the worst storm of the modern era to strike Newfoundland. More than 30 communities declared a state of emergency and the military was called in to help rebuild washed out roads and bridges.
In November, heavy rains fell on Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for 3 days. More than 200 mm of rain was recorded and 100 people were evacuated as a state of emergency was declared. The Premier of Nova Scotia called the damage “incomprehensible.”
Continuing through December, 3 storms in 3 weeks caused havoc along the New Brunswick coastline. Hundreds of homes and businesses were damaged and some tourist attractions were washed away. The cost of repairs is already estimated at $50 million.
FirstOnSite crews have been working to restore order across Atlantic Canada since the storms began. During the worst of it, we mobilized additional emergency mitigation vehicles and equipment, and 20 technicians from our Montreal and Ontario locations agreed to miss their holidays in order to help storm victims get back into their homes.
The ability to mobilize with speed and professionalism is a key value at FirstOnSite. It increases our capacity and ability to service insurers and homeowners alike when catastrophe strikes, and we are proud that our employees are willing and able to act quickly to support each other and our customers.
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