Emergency Services


Utility Outages

The RM of Ritchot is located directly south of the City of Winnipeg and encompasses 336.2 Square kilometers, being approximately bordered by Highway 75 to the West and Highway 59 to the East. The majority of the 5000 residents live within the 4 Villages of Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe, Ile Des Chenes, and Grande Pointe, with others in the rurally developed communities of Howden, Glenlea, Labarriere and South St. Germaine.

Utility Outages can be a result of:

  • Severe Weather conditions: Blizzards, Hail storms, Tornadoes etc
  • Secondary incidents, Forrest fires, Natural Disasters and Floods
  • Man made disasters, auto accidents, cut wires-pipes.

Possible Major Effects:

  • Water Outage
  • Health Hazards.
  • Economic hazards (industrial).
  • Fire fighting abilities hampered.

Electrical Outage

  • Health and safety hazards (food spoilage in homes, restaurants, and stores)
  • Homes, businesses, hospitals and nursing homes without heat
  • Difficulty in food preparation
  • Water and waste water pumping and treatment.
  • Lack of street lights.
  • Care facilities may not be able to provide treatment/care.
  • Economic hazards
  • Fire fighting

Natural Gas Outage

  • Lack of heat in homes.
  • Difficulty in food preparation.
  • Explosions of fire from ruptured gas lines.

Rural Municipality of Ritchot Critical Infrastructure:

 

  • RM of Ritchot Water treatment and distribution plant, East on PR 305 and at PR200.
  • Water reservoir in Ste. Agathe located PR305 and Lemoine St..
  • Water reservoir in St. Adolphe located on St. Adolphe Rd.
  • Water reservoir in Ile Des Chenes, Located Leclaire Rd.
  • Sewage lift station, Ste. Agathe Canola plant.
  • 3 Sewage lift station within village of Ste. Agathe.
  • Sewage lift station, Ile Des Chenes, Main St. and Dumaine St.
  • Sewage lift station, main Street St. Adolphe.

Protection of Critical infrastructure

 

The critical infrastructure within the RM of Ritchot was provided by Sewer and Water Superintendent Jeannot Robert. The following backup systems are in place to ensure the continued service of Sewer and water should a sustained power failure occur.

Potable Water Services

 

In the event of a Municipal wide power failure water to the villages of Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe and Ile Des Chenes will be assured via power provided by the back up Genset generator system located at the main water treatment plant in Ste. Agathe. This generator is a manually operated diesel system and is capable of being operated for approx. 1 –2 days without refueling. If needed water pressure throughout the municipality can be provided on a limited basis with pressure being supplied by the treatment plant alone.

In addition, the villages of St. Adolphe and Ile Des Chenes have additional diesel generators located by the water reservoirs and are capable of being operated for 1-2 days without refueling. The Village of Ste. Agathe receives its water pressure directly from the Main treatment plant.

 

Sewer Service

 

The Sewage lift stations located within the villages of Ste. Agathe, St. Adolphe and Ile Des Chenes have no back up power system in place. Should the power be discontinued a three phase generators with min. 600 volts would be required to ensure sewers not to back up. An additional method utilized by Water and Sewer Superintendent to prevent sewer back up is to contract a Septic service and have the reservoirs pumped out to ensure an appropriate level of sewage is maintained. Presently Paul’s septic service is utilized for this task.

Under normal weather conditions power could be discontinued to the lift station for approximately 2 to 24 hours before sewers begin backing up and a generator or pumping would be required.

Estimates being as follows:

Village of Ste. Agathe: 1 Day.

Village of St. Adolphe: 4-5 hours

Village of Ile Des Chenes: 2 hours

Resources

  • Water tank trucks, bulk vehicles
  • Power pumps, Gasoline or electric
  • Electric Generators
  • Batteries
  • Amateur radio
  • Gasoline, Diesel, Propane
  • Portable electric heaters
  • Blankets
  • Septic Trucks

Pre-Emergency Response

  • Consult with utility managers and coordinate existing or develop emergency plans.
  • List 24 hour emergency numbers to contact utilities.
  • Ensure MOU’s provided and maintained with equipment rental companies and services.

Emergency Response

 

  • Notify the Fire Department of water pressure shortage or outage.
  • Notify Water and Sewer superintendent of Jeannot Robert.
  • Notify Council of power blackout.
  • Consider bringing water from other communities.
  • Inform public if water is unsafe to drink.
  • Consult with provincial health authorities to determine what other precautions maybe required.
  • Determine if state of local Emergency required.
  • Notify MEMO if there is a need for Provincial resources or assistance.
  • Consider generator rentals for temporary power sources.
  • Notify RCMP for increased police presence.
  • Liaise with Nursing homes, Schools and businesses.
  • If natural gas line ruptured be prepared to evacuate established area.

Post-Emergency

  • Terminate State of local emergency, if required.
  • Consult with health authorities to determine water quality.
  • Advise community of any precautions necessary.
  • Notify community of potential for spoiled foods.
  • Advise community to have service people re-ignite pilot lights on furnaces and other Natural gas appliances.
  • Return rented or borrowed resources ASAP.
  • Continue EOC operations until coordination functions are completed.
  • Review and critique the operations, Amend emergency plan through feedback.
  • Assist processing claims for Disaster Financial Assistance.

*For details in regards to the Municipalities Evacuation and re-entry plan or Telephone/resource list see Municipal emergency plan.