City of Vaughan focuses on citizen safety during storm response
Since the
onset of our operations, weather conditions continuously shifted between ice
pellets, snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain, which made the effectiveness of
operations to tackle this storm challenging. Staff will continue to monitor
weather forecasts and make the necessary decisions and adjustments to
operations, including considering plowing.
Residents
have asked why the City of Vaughan did not plow during this storm. As staff
monitored the ongoing weather, it was determined that plowing could potentially
increase the risk of flooding and result in new problems. This is because catch
basins could be blocked with the buildup of ice and snow.
In the lead
up to the storm, and based on the anticipated forecast, City of Vaughan staff
proactively did the following:
- extended contracts for salting trucks to address the forecasted freezing rain – staff were prepared with sufficient salt materials to do this
- implemented the Heavy Rain Event Protocol, which includes clearing catch basins and potential high-flood areas
- mobilized internal forestry staff and external contractors, and put them on standby to clear downed trees and branches in the event of the forecasted ice storm
This weather
is unprecedented for the spring season. Again, staff are continuously
monitoring weather conditions and will continue to respond in the best interest
of the safety of residents.
For more
information, call Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281.