County Staff Praised for Storm Response
County of Essex employees are being commended by Warden Hilda MacDonald and the senior leadership team for stepping up when storms packing high winds and heavy rainfall pummelled the region over two days in late August.
Residents in the southern part of the county were the hardest hit as basements, yards, fields and roads flooded, and trees and hydro lines came down.
County roads maintenance crews worked around the clock for 60 hours to respond to emergency calls about flooded and blocked roads after back-to-back storms on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24.
The severe weather also compounded pressure on Essex-Windsor EMS staff, who were already dealing with high call volumes and other operational pressures.
At the Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority’s Regional Landfill in Essex, Public Drop Off in Windsor and Transfer Station 2 in Kingsville, the steady stream of vehicles dropping off waste turned into a torrent in the week following the storms as staff contended with flooded work areas and muddy conditions.
“The response by County of Essex staff was outstanding,” said Warden Hilda MacDonald. “They showed dedication to serving our residents under challenging conditions. Roads maintenance crews, EMS staff and waste authority staff provide a backbone of essential services to county and Windsor residents during disasters like the storms in August. We are extremely grateful for their quick and thorough response.”
Essex-Windsor EMS paramedics continued to rush to calls through the driving rain and wind, and as many areas suffered power outages. Meanwhile, other staff were working the phones and reorganizing schedules.
“A big shout-out goes to those who went above and beyond by accepting backfill shifts and assisting your colleagues, all while managing your own obligations and pressures in the aftermath of the storms,” Essex-Windsor EMS administration said in a letter of thanks to staff following the storms. “Your selflessness and willingness to step up in difficult times is truly commendable.”
After the first emergency call about a tree that had fallen on a road came in at 11 p.m. on Aug. 23, county roads maintenance crews were out non-stop dealing with washed out roads, downed trees, drainage issues and malfunctioning traffic signals until the morning of Aug. 26. Office staff took more than 100 calls from the public.
There were eight road closures due to flooding, tree damage and hydro lines down, with County Road 50 between McCain Side Road and County Road 41 hit the hardest. Traffic signals were running on generators or out at six county road intersections. Cleanup began immediately after the second storm and is ongoing.
Essex-Windsor Solid Waste Authority (EWSWA) staff worked hard to handle increased volumes of waste after storms in February and June that brought down trees and branches across the region. The two storms in August resulted in another spike in residential traffic and garbage being delivered by contractors. Even though the road into the regional landfill was flooded along with part of the parking lot, staff continued to get trucks onto the site and unloaded.
“We would like to commend both our staff and heavy equipment contract operators at the Regional Landfill and Transfer Station 2 for their patience and dedication during the past few weeks,” said Tom Marentette, Manager of Waste Disposal for EWSWA. “New staff members have risen to the challenge and existing staff continue to demonstrate their commitment with patience, extra hours and being flexible to assist with unprecedented conditions.”
The cleanup is expected to continue this week.
“Our staff worked diligently behind the scenes to serve and assist residents who were dealing with storm-related emergencies and the aftermath,” said Essex County Chief Administrative Officer Sandra Zwiers. “Their efforts and professionalism are greatly appreciated.”