July 28, 2010 - Flood Debris Removal

Dumpster Information

Community dumpsters will continue to be maintained at the following locations:

• Public Works – York Road
• Water Tower - Park Street

Community dumpsters at the following locations will be closed as of Saturday, July 31, 2010:

• St. Paul’s School
• M.C. Knoll School

A community dumpster will be open on Tuesday, August 3, 2010 and will continue to be maintained at the following location:

• Old Crown Mart location (Assiniboia Avenue and South Front Street)

Landfill Information

The City Landfill is open 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Keep your receipts from the landfill and submit them to your insurance company and/or the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP). *

*The City of Yorkton can’t guarantee that landfill expenses will be covered through your insurance company or the Provincial Disaster Relief Program. Please contact them directly for more information.

July 15, 2010 - People and organizations looking to make cash donations to the Yorkton flood relief efforts can contact any of the organizations listed here.

July 13, 2010 - Click here for the latest flood assistance contact numbers

July 9, 2010 - Public Library Closed Due to Flooding

Due to the recent flooding, the Yorkton Public Library is closed until further notice.

The Library is looking for volunteers to help with moving the books out of the facility to allow remediation work to occur in the facility. Anyone interested in helping out can visit the Library in person to volunteer.

July 8, 2010 - Flood Related Public Notices

To expedite the removal of debris from homes affected by the flood, the City of Yorkton is asking the public to ensure that any debris is located on the street side of the curb to allow for ease of pick up.

Flood Relief Clean Up Kits
Flood Relief Clean up kits, which include household cleaning items, are available at the temporary Salvation Army location in the Parkland Mall during regular Mall operating hours.

Temporary Location For The Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has set up a temporary location for the Food Bank and Clothing Centre at the Parkland Mall.

The Temporary Salvation Army Clothing Centre
- is located in the old Pre-school Playland location in the Mall

The Salvation Army Food Bank
- is located beside the old Shopper’s Drug Mart location in the Mall.

Call 621-4449 to find out more info.
The Salvation Army would like to thank the Parkland mall for their generosity and support.

Beware of Unreputable Contractors

Property owners are encouraged to make sure the contractor is licensed through the City of Yorkton before hiring them. Below is a list of cleaning contractors licensed to work in the City of Yorkton. Click here for a list of Contractors. Please contact 786-1709 or 786-1710 weekdays between 8am to 4pm for further information.

State of Local Emergency

The City of Yorkton has declared a STATE OF LOCAL EMERGENCY due to flooding as of July 1, 2010 at 4:30 p.m. This Declaration of Local Emergency is authorized under the Province of Saskatchewan’s Emergency Planning Act.

The Citizens of Yorkton are asked to obey all laws, regulations and orders, for the duration of the emergency. Your cooperation with emergency response personnel will greatly assist in recovering from this emergency. This declaration provides our Emergency Personnel with all authority to perform their duties as required.

Please stay away from any areas that were flooded, especially the downtown core to allow emergency personnel to carry out their work.

Our Emergency Operations Centre has been activated.

Updates will continue to be provided as information becomes available.  Click on the bulleted links below for more information:

• Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation - Dealing with Floods
• Contractors
• Electrical and Gas Safety
• Flood Assistance Central Service Centre and Contact Info
• Flood Related Items to Consider
• Gas Powered Devices (including furnaces, water heaters, clothes dryers, etc)
• Information for Electrical Contractors
• Information for the Public (including Garbage Disposal and Cleanup)
• Insurance Items to Consider
• More Info From the Sunrise Health Region Web Site

Public Notice - Monday, July 5, 2010

1. To expedite the removal of debris from homes affected by the flood, the City of Yorkton is asking the public to do the following:

a. Remove damaged items, take pictures and document as well as keep samples of damaged items for insurance verification.

b. Place the debris, including carpets and furniture, on the street next to the curb. The City will be removing the debris with front end loaders and trucks.

c. Large appliances such as freezers and fridges, washers and dryers may also be placed out for pickup. Please ensure that all doors are removed. The wet debris will be picked up first. It may take awhile for the appliances to be removed.

d. For those able to do so, the City Landfill is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

2. In order to allow ease of cleanup, we are asking for the public’s cooperation by staying away from wet areas most affected by the flood.

FLOOD-RELATED ITEMS TO CONSIDER

Building Services Division of the Planning & Engineering Department at the City of Yorkton will be completing inspections on houses and other buildings throughout the city. The following broad recommendations apply to all flooded buildings.

Ventilation - Keep doors and windows open. Use fans and where possible introduce fresh outdoor air to basements, crawl spaces and cellars. Use dehumidifiers.

Collection of Evidence for Insurance Purposes - Prior to the removal of wet and damaged items within areas that have been flooded ensure that pictures are taken along with samaples of damaged items to provide the necessary evidence for insurance purposes and Provincial Disaster Assistance Program (PDAP).

Remove Moisture - Remove all wet and damaged household items. Continue to remove standing water. Remove floor coverings. Remove wet drywall, paneling and interior insulation to a dry level above the highest water line. Continued seepage of ground water needs to be controlled/removed.

Gas and Electrical Services - Electric, natural gas or oil burning appliances that were flooded must be inspected/cleaned or otherwise reconnected by qualified trades people. Electrical service panels that have been in water may need to be replaced. Electrical plugs that have been in water must be allowed to dry out.

Disconnection of Electrical and Gas Services - Disconnects of electrical service should be undertaken if any plugs are below the water level - contact SaskPower @ 310-2220 to request your service to be shut off. Where gas fired appliances are affected by the water levels - contact SaskEnergy @ 1-800-700-0427 to have service shut off.

Reconnection of Electrical and Gas Services - Reconnects of electrical service must be completed by a certified electrician.  Reconnects of gas services must be completed by a licensed plumber (gas fitter).

Clean-Up of Flooded Homes - Flood waters may contain diseases due to contamination from sewage.  Flooded surfaces should be cleaned with a good detergent and then rinsed before being treated with a disinfectant solution.  Disinfection is essential to kill bacteria from sewage, and prevent development of moulds.  Refer to page 5 of Cleaning Up After The Flood for more information on suitable disinfectants and equipment for cleaning flooded areas.  For additional information please visit the Sunrise Health Region Flood Cleanup page.

Asbestos - If you suspect your home contains asbestos please see this page on Health Canada's website.

General Observations

Soil conditions are such that buildings will continue to see the effects of moisture laden soil for some time. As the soils dry out continued movement will be noticed. Doors and windows binding will be the most noticeable. Cracking in concrete and concrete block foundation may be seen. If significant changes occur it is important to have your building inspected.

Anyone wishing to have their house or other building inspected can contact Building Services at 786-1710.