With as many as 5,000 trees down, the aftermath of the June 20 windstorm will be felt for years, predicted Red Deer’s city manager Craig Curtis.
Council heard the $2.6 million cost of the clean-up, so far, is bound to rise as city workers get around to removing the 600 left-over tree stumps, and begin their colossal replanting effort.
Curtis couldn’t tally the final costs, but expected the replanting to take several years.
Council received a report on Monday about the windstorm’s response and recovery. Here are some of the numbers:
- Straight wind gusts were clocked at 111 km/h in the early evening of June 20 — (the exact date, almost to the hour that Red Deer was hit by flooding in 2013).
- 15,000 city properties were without power for hours or days, amounting to 40 per cent of Electric Light and Power customers (38 power poles were knocked down and 3,500 metres of power lines).
- 3,000 to 5,000 trees were knocked down around the city.
- Three Red Deer residents were hurt, but no life-threatening injuries were reported.
- 700 city staff members were mobilized to work around the clock on response and recovery.
- 3,636 calls were received by the city’s call centre.
- 9-1-1 dispatchers reported 12 times the usual number of emergency calls.
- $30 million in insurance claims were linked to the windstorm by the Insurance Bureau of Canada.
Council heard that the city’s emergency communications effort was successful in getting information out through conventional media and social media.
Karen Mann, who works in emergency management at the city, said it was gratifying to receive so many positive messages from citizens, who showed patience and appreciation for the efforts of city workers dealing with electricity and tree problems.
All city residents are urged to sign up on the city’s website (www.reddeer.ca) to be notified of future emergencies.
lmichelin@reddeeradvocate.com
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