Kentville firefighters deal with rash of flood-related calls

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

Wet conditions were the order of the day last Tuesday for the Kentville Fire Department, as record rainfall and record temperatures Monday led to snow melt and combined with high tides to create a recipe for flooding. Flooding was a consideration in several other jurisdictions in the county as well.

Kentville Fire Chief Shawn Ripley said his department responded to a dozen calls in a 12-hour period relating to flooding conditions. North Kentville, Lakeville, Coldbrook and West Main Street, Kentville, were among the affected locations. Ripley said many of the flood-related calls had to do with water in basements.

Ripley said the power had to be shut down at one home close to the barbershop on West Main Street because the water in the basement became too deep. On the other end of the street, he said an oil barrel in one home had to be secured because the water level became high enough that the barrel could have started floating around.

He said Brooklyn Street had to be closed for the better part of two days from Lanzy Road to the hospital entrance. West Main Street was closed for close to 24 hours and traffic was rerouted by the soccer dome. Ripley said the Canning Fire Department informed them that a pond close to the former Maple Leaf plant in Canard overflowed and caused the closure of Highway 341.

Ripley said the town’s emergency measures office (EMO) met every two hours Tuesday to evaluate concern with high water levels in the Cornwallis River and Mill Brook. He said the county EMO was set up and ready to take action as well. Ripley said residents on West Main were placed on high alert and emergency responders were well prepared.

Kings County staff responded to several reports of flooding throughout the municipality last week. They worked closely with provincial EMO, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal, the Town of Kentville and local village commissions.

Manager of Emergency Services, Gary Smith, briefed the Greenwood Village Commission Wednesday morning, Feb. 20. Plans were being made to bring several levels of government together to address concerns in the Fales River subdivision. Concerns were raised after six homes experienced flooded basements Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Kentville firefighters responded to a two-vehicle collision in Coldbrook Tuesday, Feb. 19. Ripley said there were no injuries in the fender-bender and only minor damages.

Kentville responded to a car fire in Centreville Wednesday, Feb. 20. Ripley said there was extensive damage to the front end of the vehicle around one wheel.

Kentville responded to a fire alarm sounding at the seniors’ residence in Centreville Thursday, Feb. 21 and to a fire alarm sounding at Valley Regional Hospital last week.

Canning Fire Department Deputy Chief Scott Cruickshank said their department responded to a call about a flooded basement on Gospel Woods Road in Glenmont Tuesday morning, Feb. 19.

Canning firefighters responded to a call for medical assistance on Chapel Road, Canning, Friday evening, Feb. 15.

New Minas Fire Chief James Redmond said his department responded to a number of flood conditions Monday, Feb. 18, including a flooded basement on Highland Avenue; a flood condition behind the Canadian Tire store; a flood condition on Frontier Drive; and another flooded basement on Highland Avenue.

New Minas responded to a trailer fire Tuesday, Feb. 19 in Sawler’s Trailer Park. A woman suffered undetermined injuries requiring hospitalization.