Mother Nature demonstrated her might and capriciousness last week, stewing up a freak storm that dumped hail and rain on the Battlefords with harsh fury.
The swiftness of the assault was quickly matched by the way city officials sprang into action.
Mayor Ian Hamilton immediately declared a state of emergency and the city's emergency measures apparatus sprang into action. Once launched there was a steady stream of information issued from City Hall and the Recovery and Relief Centre established at Don Ross Centre throughout the height of the disaster and throughout the weekend.
The Red Cross and other agencies worked to accommodate the people who had to leave their homes because of the flood water and to assist in other ways. Regional Social Services manager Donna Weber said Friday her agency was notified of what was needed at 4 p.m. and the reception centre at Don Ross was up and running by 5:30 p.m.
Most recent tallies indicate 200 homes were impacted by the storm. The Red Cross registered a total of 225 people. As of Monday, 98 families (240 people) had made applications for assistance to Emergency Social Services. Of these, 13 families (43 people) were provided with lodging and meals in hotels.
These people will need ongoing assistance as cleanup and reconstruction begins, and while the Relief and Recovery Centre has been closed, the state of emergency remains in effect until further notice. City Hall continues to provide assistance to residents.
For those keeping score, this latest deluge is the third such "once in 50-years" event in North Battleford in the last five years. It's notable that an area of the city west of 100th Street, heavily impacted in the previous two events, was spared this time around. Whether that is due to improvements to the storm sewer system there or if the area was hit less hard by the storm is unclear.
Whether severe weather is here to stay is a debate for the climatologists. The fact the city's emergency response was so well co-ordinated, thorough and efficient can at least give residents some comfort in knowing they won't be hung out to dry when disaster strikes.
