The Canadian Armed Forces have been called in to help Newfoundland and Labrador dig out from a record-breaking blizzard.
Premier Dwight Ball made the announcement shortly after 4 p.m. Saturday.
He said a request was made to the federal government for assistance, including mobilizing the Armed Forces, to provide relief to areas of the province affected by severe weather.
Ball said it’s a process that began Saturday morning with a phone call to Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister Bill Blair. He also had conversations with municipalities across the province to assess what kind of support is required.
“We know there’s a number of seniors that we have in our province, and people with disabilities, that cannot get out of their homes right now because of high drifting and heavy snow surrounding their property. So, that’s an example of where the Canadian Armed Forces can support the people in the province right now,” said Ball.
He said as the province defines the specific needs over the next few hours, the federal government will determine where individuals will be deployed and what equipment will be utilized.
Ball said there are public sector workers, such as plow operators and health-care workers, who have been stuck at work since 7 a.m. Friday, and the added resources will help with shift changeovers.
“The more people, the more capacity we have on the ground, the faster we can start addressing the issues.”
There are no details yet as to when the help will arrive, how many troops will be mobilized, or what areas will be a priority.
“It’s important now that whatever capacity we can get in terms of equipment, capacity that we can get in individuals, that we get those people on the ground in our province right now, and help with the cleanup, and help with the response that’s required,” the premier said.
He said the request is currently with the federal government. Once approved, officials will begin looking at areas where people can be deployed.
“We’ll continue to work with our communities, and our other departments as well, and then we’ll start deploying the necessary assets when they become available to deal with the issues that we identify.”
The Telegram will update this story when further details are available.
