Crews responding to severe winter storm system
Saskatoon is bracing itself for a severe winter storm – in two waves –, with snowfall today and blizzard conditions with more significant amounts of snowfall and wind carrying into Sunday. The City is actively planning and responding to what could be a record snowfall; approximately 35 cm by Sunday evening with wind gusts of up to 80 km/hr.
Snow Clearing
City snow crews are sanding priority roadways and are on standby to begin plowing, clearing and de-icing when needed. During the snowfall, efforts will be focused on the busiest streets and access to emergency services. Crews may need to revisit these streets multiple times to maintain mobility before the snowfall stops.
“Mobility may become a challenge, particularly on Sunday and into Monday morning,” says Goran Saric, Director of Roadways, Fleet and Support. “We ask that residents try to avoid unnecessary travel, but if they must, please practice caution around city crews and allow them to execute the snow clean-up as quickly and efficiently as possible.”
Once the highest priority streets are cleared, crews will move through the rest of the priority system, which is expected to take several days to work through.
Saric adds with the Civic election on Monday, the strategy aims to maximize, as is safe and practical, people being able to move around the City before, during, and after the storm, which includes accessing polling stations.
Residents are reminded that snow removal crews are equipped with blue and amber flashing lights. They should stay 2-3 vehicle lengths behind and be prepared to stop quickly.
More information on the City’s snow clearing efforts can be found at saskatoon.ca/snow
Emergency Preparedness
The City would also like to remind residents of some important emergency preparedness tips to help ensure their safety during the storm.
- Have an inventory of everything that the members and pets in your household would need for several days, including foods and medications.
- Charge your phones, tablets, and portable battery packs; and equip yourself with a supply of batteries for radios and other battery-operated devices.
- Reach out to people who may require support:
- More than 300 people in Saskatoon are self-isolating due to COVID-19.
- Consider whether any of your neighbours might need assistance, including those that are seniors or have disabilities.
- If travel is necessary:
- Equip yourself with an emergency kit containing warm clothes, blankets, candles, and snacks.
- Be sure to let someone know where you’re going and when you arrive.
- Plan for delays in your commute to work on Monday and for getting children to school.
- Activate the GPS locator app on your smartphone (‘Find My’ on iPhone and ‘Find My Device’ on Android) to allow assigned contacts to track you.
A more detailed list of emergency preparedness tips can be found at saskatoon.ca/snowstorm2020
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For timely updates on snow and ice alerts visit saskatoon.ca/service-alerts and follow us at twitter.com/YXEServiceAlert.