Mayor Randy Hope and Fire Chief Bob Crawford are encouraging Thamesville residents to leave their homes this afternoon as water levels continue to rise.
At a press conference at noon today, Hope said Thamesville and area is a priority at the moment, but they expect flooding in Chatham as well. A state of emergency has been declared for the town.
According to Hope, this is the first time a state of emergency has been declared in Chatham-Kent since the ice jam in Wallaceburg in 2009.
He says this is a different kind of flood than we’ve seen in recent years.
Hope says procedures are in place for residents who cannot easily evacuate.
“We are making sure that emergency response systems are available. For those who need assistance, we have volunteer firefighters walking around. They will identify individuals [who need additional assistance], and we will make sure every avenue is used in order to move those people to the Bradley Centre, or to friend or family – wherever they need to go to get out of this situation,” says Hope.
Fire Chief Bob Crawford says residents can also call the municipality directly at 519-360-1998. Crawford says those in the affected areas should prepare a 72-hour kit.
“Plan to be out of the house for 72 hours. Make sure you bring your medications that you require. Make sure to bring some cash with you so you can purchase things, bring clothes – that sort of thing. Make sure you make some provisions for your pets and animals. They need to get to safety as well. You can’t leave them alone in your house,” says Crawford. “There’s a possibility that once you’re out of your home, it may be difficult to gain entry back into your home until the water subsides.”
Hope says all Chatham-Kent residents should pay close attention to the roads and avoid any that are flooded.
“We’re also asking people to pay respect to signs when the roads are closed. You don’t know when you’re driving down the road what the depth of the waters will be, so we’re asking people to respect all road closure situations,” Hope says.