What happens in a community when they are on their fourth day without power and then they get over 30 cm of snow overnight?

Turns out they really show what sa国际传媒渃ommunitysa国际传媒� means.

Zeballos has been without power on and off since Monday, and like the rest of the Island they have received more snow in one day than they have in years. However, according to Mayor Julie Colborne, that has not put a damper on peoplesa国际传媒檚 community spirit. If anything, it has made the sense of community in the tiny tone on northern Vancouver Island even stronger.

sa国际传媒淚snsa国际传媒檛 it amazing how the community just pulls together and does stuff for their neighbours?sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e got people donating fuel and people are getting things to their neighbours. Isa国际传媒檓 just astounded by the kindness of the strangers and neighbours alike.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淥ur hearts are with Tahsis, theysa国际传媒檙e in the exact same position as us, and our hearts go out to them,sa国际传媒� she said.

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Zeballos and neighbouring community Tahsis are fairly remote on Vancouver Islandsa国际传媒檚 west coast. In the best of times, food security is an issue for villagers, whose closest grocery store is in Campbell River. Now with the roads closed, people have to turn to each other for necessary supplies.

However, SRD protective services coordinator Shaun Koopman isnsa国际传媒檛 too worried about villagers in Tahsis.

sa国际传媒淵ou donsa国际传媒檛 live in Tahsis if you have to go to Starbucks,sa国际传媒� Koopman said. sa国际传媒淚 am not worried about the residents up there.sa国际传媒�

The emergency response in the communities has been aided by the Strathcona Regional Districtsa国际传媒檚 Emergency Operations Centre. Since things are happening so quickly, people have been trying to find off-the-cuff solutions to the issues. One idea was for a helicopter to bring food supplies in to the Zeballos warming centre, but because of the inclement weather that idea didnsa国际传媒檛 work out. Instead a barge with food and fuel has been donated and will be arriving in Zeballos this afternoon. Colborne said that since people have stepped up, the village should be fine for food for the day at least, and hopes that the roads get cleared in the meantime, allowing food shipments to come in.

sa国际传媒淭here will be supplies brought to us somehow,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檝e advised people not to travel on the road because itsa国际传媒檚 better to let those guys do their jobs. Theysa国际传媒檙e out there plowing and trying to keep it open for us for essentials. Somehow, some way we are going to get medicines and food for the warming centre. Then wesa国际传媒檝e had a gracious donation from Grieg Seafood for fuel.sa国际传媒�

Colborne hopes that the power will be back on on Friday afternoon.

sa国际传媒淭hatsa国际传媒檚 in perfect case scenario and in the best of conditions. Wesa国际传媒檙e not in the best of conditions right now,sa国际传媒� she said. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檙e building contingency planning for Sunday or so or even after, just so that wesa国际传媒檙e more prepared.sa国际传媒�

Fixing the power system also is reliant on a helicopter, according to a release from B.C. Hydro.

sa国际传媒淭he continued heavy snowfall has caused extensive damage to the line serving customers in Tahsis and Zeballos,sa国际传媒� it says. sa国际传媒淲e assessed damage using a helicopter yesterday, and we began work in areas where it was safe to do so. As more heavy snowfall is expected, work progress will be dependent on the weather conditions and crews ability to safely access damaged areas.sa国际传媒�

Gold River has also seen more power outage issues this season than it does normally. Mayor Brad Unger posted on the village website that he and staff have sa国际传媒渉ad discussions with the BC Hydrosa国际传媒檚 Vancouver Island community relations manger, Ted Olynyk, in regards to the current and past issues.sa国际传媒�

Potential solutions were to have a crew stationed in the village, but Unger wrote BC Hydrosa国际传媒檚 response was that it would be sa国际传媒渧ery difficult for many reasons.sa国际传媒�

sa国际传媒淒uring severe weather storms like the one recently experienced, crews come from all over the island and the length of time they can work without a break is an issue that must be considered,sa国际传媒� Ungersa国际传媒檚 note says.

Despite the tough conditions, Colborne says that the villagerssa国际传媒� spirit has only reaffirmed her love for the area.

sa国际传媒淭he North Island is the place to be, man.sa国际传媒�

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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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