**** EMO / HRM Media Release
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICE–Hurricane/Post-tropical Storm Dorian Update
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The following is a provincial update for Monday, Sept. 9 at 10:30 a.m.
— approximately 202,000 Nova Scotia Power customers are without power. Crews are working across the province to restore power
— Bell is working closely with Nova Scotia Power to restore its operations
— all Nova Scotia public schools are closed today
— provincial government offices with power are open today. Some locations may not have power and members of the public are asked to call in advance to confirm if a particular office is open
— as power outages approach 48 hours, food safety will start to become a concern. Information about food and water safety is available at http://novascotia.ca/emergency.
— generators, bbqs and charcoal grills should never be used indoors or in a garage, even with windows or doors open. Doing so risks carbon monoxide poisoning or death.
— use flashlights or battery-operated lanterns instead of candles or hurricane lamps. If using candles, place them in a secure holder and cover them with a glass chimney, away from children and pets
— allow the generator to cool before refueling. Refuel the generator outside, following the manufacturer’s instructions. Store fuel for the generator in approved containers, outside the home
— make sure electric stove elements and small appliances are off or unplugged to prevent fires from occurring when the electricity is restored
— people continue to be encouraged to take public transit, when possible, to minimize the number of vehicles on the roads during cleanup
— residents are asked to call 211 to find the nearest comfort centre and 311 for comfort centres in Halifax Regional Municipality or visit http://novascotia.ca/emergency
— decisions regarding court operations are made on a case-by-case basis. Members of the public with matters before the court should check with their lawyer or call the courthouse to confirm whether the specific court is open
— provincial parks will remain closed until at least Wednesday, Sept. 11. Updates will be provided on when individual parks will reopen as information becomes available. Visitors with reservations will be contacted and provided a full refund. Check https://parks.novascotia.ca for the latest update prior to heading out to a park.
— trails and protected areas across the province may have wash-outs and debris. Check conditions with organizations that manage trails before heading out
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Municipality post-storm update – Monday morning
Monday, Sept. 9, 2019 (Halifax, NS) – Debris and tree removal efforts are well underway, with most main arteries on the peninsula passable with caution.
Members of the municipal urban forestry teams are busy identifying priority locations and crews, with support from contractors, are working to chip and remove downed trees, clean up debris, and replanting trees that can be saved.
For safety reasons, residents are advised to not attempt to assist with clearing downed trees in the municipal right-of-way. Those trees will be handled by professional crews. However, residents are responsible for tree maintenance on their own properties.
Branches should be tied in armload-sized bundles, to a maximum of 10 bundles, for collection day over the next two weeks. This service is free of charge.
Any materials larger than this should be delivered to construction and demolition locations at Halifax C&D Recycling Ltd. (16 Mills Dr. in Goodwood), or 188 Ross Rd., in Westphal. Note: There is a fee charged by these private service providers.
Garbage pick-up in the south end of the peninsula is postponed today and is rescheduled for Monday, Sept. 16. Due to the skipped pick-up date, residents can put double the number of garbage bags at the curb as normal.
Halifax Transit is fully operational with a handful of detours in place where hanging wires are causing concerns on bus routes.
Water distribution sites for those affected by water shortages (no power results in no ability to pull water from private wells) have been set up at the Chezzetcook Fire Station (Station 23) and Tantallon Fire Station (Station 65).
While considerable progress is being made with post-storm clean-up efforts, there are still many intersections throughout the community where traffic signals are not functioning. Motorists are reminded to treat these intersections as a four-way stop.
Please visit Halifax.ca or follow @hfxgov on Twitter for all post-storm-related updates.