Residents encouraged to plan for winter storm

RIVERVIEW (N.B.) – Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement for southeast New Brunswick beginning late this afternoon. Significant snow, ice pellets and freezing rain are expected. Periods of snow will begin in the southwest this morning and spread north across the rest of the province throughout the day. Parts of southern New Brunswick will likely see a changeover to ice pellets and freezing rain, then change back to snow on Friday.

Additionally, strong easterly winds Friday night into Saturday morning may cause reduced visibility in snow and blowing snow.

Town of Riverview road crews are on standby for full deployment once the storm hits. To assist with snow and ice clearing, motorists are reminded that parking is prohibited on any municipal street between midnight and 7 a.m. and during snow removal operations. Vehicles parked in violation will be towed or ticketed. Municipal by-law also prohibits residents from pushing snow back onto the road while clearing driveways and sidewalks.

Residents are encouraged to check their 72 hour kit. You should also ensure that your vehicles and back-up generators are fueled up, cell phone batteries are always fully charged.

Residents should be prepared to be self-sustaining for at least 72 hours during an emergency. To prepare for a possible power outage, residents are urged to:

• Have non-perishable food and water for each family member including pets, plus flashlights and a battery-operated radio
• Fuel portable generators and vehicles (but avoid unnecessary travel)
• Check on neighbours, especially those with disabilities or special needs
• If you do lose power and chose to use a generator, please ensure:

1. That you never use the generator inside a building including garages
2. The generator is not operated near open windows or doors
3. The generator should be at least 5 feet from the building
4. Do not refill the generator while it is operating. Turn it off first and let it cool down.

For more information on how to prepare for emergencies, including how to create an emergency kit, please visit the Town of Riverview’s Emergency Preparedness page.

Important contact information:

* For emergencies, call 911.
* To report a fallen power line or power outages, call NB Power at 1-800-663-6272 or visit www.nbpower.com.