Sandbagging is your best defence during flooding

Localized Flooding May 2017

Kelowna, B.C. – The Emergency Operations Centre planning team and staff from across the Central Okanagan are working around the clock.  They continue responding to last week’s event and are now preparing for increasing water levels expected by the end of this week. Residents must be proactive and take steps to protect their properties.

Residents are responsible for their own sandbags and are advised to keep any current sandbags in place. Flooding is ongoing and may last some time. Once the flooding threat has ended, information about what to so with sandbags will be provided via www.cordemergency.ca.

For information about creating and placing sandbags, visit www.cordemergency.ca/beprepared/flood-faq.

In Kelowna, sandbags are available at City of Kelowna Fire Station #1 at 2255 Enterprise Way. Sand is available at:

  • Cook Road Boat Launch outside the Hotel Eldorado on Cook Road

  • Burne Avenue, west of Ethel Street at Mill Creek

  • Rowcliffe Avenue at Richter Street

  • 221 Adams Road (Industrial Park)

In West Kelowna and for Westbank First Nations residents, sandbags and sand is available at:

  • 1341 Green Bay Road

  • 2606 Casa Loma

  • Pritchard Park at 1587 Pritchard Drive

  • 4081 Hitchner Road

  • Pebbles Beach Park at 2589 Whitworth Road

For Lake Country residents, sandbags are available at Swalwell Park and at Lake Country Okanagan Centre Fire Hall (10591 Okanagan Centre Road East). Sand is available at:

  • Swalwell Park at 9950 Bottom Wood Lake Road

  • Commonwealth Road by Holiday Park

  • Deldor Road

  • Beasley Park at 3450 Woodsdale Road

For Peachland and Trepanier residents within the Regional District of Central Okanagan, sandbags are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Peachland Fire Rescue hall, 4401 3rd Street. Weekends and afterhours, please call fire dispatch at 250-469-8801 to arrange a pick up time.

Sand is being constantly replenished. Check www.cordemergency.ca/map for updated information.

Before doing any excavating, trenching or clearing on your property to protect it from a flood or clean up after, always call BC One Call at 1-800-474-6886 (or go to bconecall.ca) to get natural gas line location details. When you call, indicate it’s an emergency situation and you will be provided with further instruction.

Emergency Support Services has been receiving many enquiries from generous residents offering accommodation for those displaced by flooding. Unfortunately, it’s not able to handle these offers. A notice board is available on the wall outside the entrance door to the reception centre for anyone who would like to display their lodging information including first name, phone number, details of accommodation available and if pets are welcome. The Reception Centre is located in the Salvation Army Church at 1480 Sutherland Avenue (corner of Burtch Road and Sutherland Avenue) and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. until further notice.

For up to date information on the situation including a map and to sign up for e-updates, visit www.cordemergency.ca. Information will also be provided via the https://twitter.com/CO_Emerg and https://www.facebook.com/CORDEmergency/ or by phone at 250-469-8490 or 1-877-569-8490 (toll-free).