PENTICTON, B.C. — Wednesday morning, people woke up to downed power lines and fallen trees. The snowfall came as a surprise for many Penticton residents. The City of Penticton also admitting that it wasn’t entirely prepared for it.
“I think we were all taken back by the snowfall,” says Simone Blais, City of Penticton spokesperson. “We have processes in place to address winter weather and those ruled out as per usual. Mother Nature never seems to go as plan, but we roll with it as best as we can.”
City crews began snow removal at 3 a.m., but work had to be temporarily delayed because of slippery roads and crews had to put on chains to the vehicles before continuing their work.
Making matters worse, the north end of Penticton lost power at the same time, but it was resorted in about an hour and a half.
The sudden snowfall is also keeping fire crews busy. Penticton’s Deputy Fire Chief, Dave Spalding, says firefighters responded to 14 calls between 1:00 – 9:00 a.m.
“The crews started to go to power line issues: power lines downed, trees downed against power lines. And then this morning, once people started moving around, we had some motor vehicle accidents with people sliding off the road or sliding into each other,” says Spalding.
The City of Penticton has these winter tips to keep residents safe:
- Drive safe. This means slowing down and being mindful of road conditions. Take extra precautions at intersections and driveways, and when making turns.
- Winter tires, and having a good set of tires, is important this time of year. Consider winterizing your vehicle and carrying things like a first aid kit, blanket and water in your vehicle – just in case.
- Shovel snow to the right of your driveway (facing the street). This will help avoid extra snow being deposited in the path of your driveway when the snow plow passes by.
- Shovelling sidewalks falls under the Good Neighbour Bylaw – implemented to help pedestrians (especially children) safe as they walk.
- Residents who are able to help by checking and/or clearing storm drains in their neighbourhood are greatly appreciated.
- Consider being a Snow Angel to your neighbours in Penticton, helping others clear their driveways, sidewalks and access points.
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