Retail stores and restoration companies have seen a spike in business after the severe flooding in Eckville and Lacombe this week.
Service Master Restore project manager Addison Johnston said his restoration staff have been working 10 to 12 hours a day since Tuesday. The calls started Monday night and haven’t stopped since.
He has hired additional contract crews to help meet the demand.
This week Johnston’s company took on 24 new jobs throughout Central Alberta but mainly from Lacombe and Eckville and turned down another 30 because they were too busy.
Generally the Red Deer company would respond to a request within an hour. This week it has taken them two or three days to make the first estimate.
“If the rain stays away we should be caught up Tuesday or Wednesday of next week,” said Johnston.
Other restoration companies like Red Deer-based Advance Cleaning have also seen work requests increase.
During the heavy rain storms and the days immediately following, stores like Peavey Mart in Lacombe and Co-op Agro Centre in Eckville sold out of items like sump pumps, rug cleaners, Shop-Vacs, and rubber boots.
Staff made emergency supply runs to surrounding communities like Innisfail and Red Deer to restock their selves.
With most of the retail stores now stocked, customers are steadily returning to buy mops, squeegees, pails and other cleaning supplies.
The cleaning is well underway in the homes and communities affected by the heavy rain and floods.
Alberta Health Services says homeowners should use proper cleaning techniques to protect from risks like electrocution, infection and exposure to mould growth.
They suggest using a warm water/mild detergent, followed by sanitization with a one to 10 bleach/water solution. Allowing the areas to dry out as soon as possible is key to prevent mould and mildrew problems.
For more detailed information on flood cleanup, visit www.albertahealthservices.ca
crhyno@www.reddeeradvocate.com