City declares state of emergency following devastating windstorm
RED DEER- Following a tremendous windstorm last night, The City of Red Deer has declared a local state of emergency in response to numerous power outages and fallen debris across Red Deer.
The local state of emergency gives The City access to additional resources, including personnel, from other orders of government if required.
“Red Deer experienced an extreme storm last night; one that doesn’t compare to any I have ever experienced in Red Deer,” said Craig Curtis, City Manager. “The storm resulted in a number of power outages all across Red Deer. Due to the volume and complexity of outages, some neighbourhoods will take longer to be connected back to power. We are anticipating it could be up to two days for some areas, although this is only an estimate based on the information we have at this time.”
City crews spent the night assessing the damage as a result of the windstorm and triaging work, dealing with major safety issues first. Red Deer County, the Town of Penhold and contractors have been providing assistance since early yesterday evening to help get power back on and clean up the city.