When bad weather hits the area, one of the greatest dangers is a lack of information.
The past two days have seen many local municipalities including Belleville, Stirling/Rawdon and Napanee issue declarations of a Significant Weather Event.
These notices are fairly standard, advising motorists, pedestrians and residents to use extra caution as they may not be able to meet maintenance standards for roads, bike lanes and sidewalks due to freezing rain, snow or icy conditions caused by a flash-freeze.
When these notices are issued, we always release them and I do see them circulate on social media, but sometimes people are taking it the wrong way.
These don’t mean the municipality is unprepared in any way or will be slower than expected when it comes to clearing streets or sidewalks.
It’s trying to give people an idea of the scope of the cleanup involved and urge patience and additional care in making plans and protecting you and your family.
On social media, I often see people complain that the municipalities aren’t doing a good job when people see these notices, when the opposite is actually true.
In my three decades of delivering the news in Quinte, I can honestly say that one of the biggest problems is when people are caught by surprise during big weather events. The unexpected can be both unwelcome, hazardous and even deadly if you don’t plan ahead, slow down and use a little patience.
A statement of a Significant Weather Event is the municipality’s way of saying “this is a big deal, so be careful out there”. It’s a word of caution and warning, and NOT an admission of defeat or a lack of preparation.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
