Dufferin County, the local lower tier municipalities, emergency response and public health partners and local hydro teams continue to respond to the ice storm that occurred over the weekend.

Residents should be prepared for more significant weather today, with additional freezing rain, high amounts of rain and high winds expected. The County calls on residents to prioritize safety as cleanup continues.

Yard waste pickup begins next week in Orangeville and in rural areas and continues the week of April 14 in the urban areas of Grand Valley and Shelburne and in rural subdivisions. The schedule can be found here.

Residents must cut and bundle branches and twigs to ensure collection from the County.

Branches cannot be more than three inches in diameter and bundles can be no longer than four feet with a maximum weight of 20 kilograms or 44 pounds.

The local lower tier municipalities may schedule additional pickup of branches and debris from the ice storm. Contact your local municipality for more information or check its website for details.

Many homes in Dufferin County are still without power. Hydro One is doing everything they can to restore power in our community, safely. Orangeville Hydro is not currently reporting any outages related to the ice storm; however, more freezing rain has been forecast for today across our community.

If you need to report an outage, call your utility provider or report online. Find information on reporting an outage with Orangeville Hydro here. You can report an outage with Hydro One here.

Residents who rely on private wells and electrical pumps for water can pick up bottled drinking water at the following locations:

• Mulmur Melancthon Fire Department
• Melancthon Municipal Office
• Horning’s Mills Community Hall (14 Mill St. Melancthon)

Potable water filling stations and 20-litre containers are available at the following locations:

• Mulmur Municipal Office
• Horning’s Mills Community Centre
• Mono Municipal Office

A warming centre has been opened at Horning’s Mills Community Hall and is available daily from 11 am to 4 pm for anyone who needs to charge devices, warm up or have a snack or hot beverage.

You do not have to touch a power line to be in danger. High-voltage electricity can jump to anyone who gets too close. Always stay at least 10 feet away from power lines and their connections.

Do not attempt to move a downed power line or anything else in contact with it by using an object.

Do not drive over downed power lines. If your vehicle comes in contact a downed power line while you are inside, stay in the car. Call for help and direct others to stay away from your car.

Never touch a person who is in contact with a downed power line. Call 9-1-1 immediately.

If you have a downed power line on your property, call your local utility provider to report it.

If you have been without power at home since the ice storm hit, food in your fridge and freezer may no longer be safe and should not be consumed. Dispose of any food that may be harmful.

You can find more information on food safety on Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health’s website.

The County also reminds the community about the following safety tips:

• Stay updated. Monitor local weather forecasts and emergency alerts. Seek information from trusted sources including the local municipalities, fire departments and the Ontario Provincial Police. For road closure information visit Municipal511.
• Keep generators away from your home. Never operate a generator in an enclosed space or indoors. To safely operate a generator, place it outdoors at least 20 feet away from your house, doors, windows and any other openings to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.
• Do not call 9-1-1 for downed power lines unless lives are at risk. Call your utility provider for power outages or report online. Find information on reporting an outage with Orangeville Hydro here. You can report an outage with Hydro One here.
• Trees and limbs on municipal right of way will be addressed by crews who are working in the community now.
• People who are reliant on home health care supports should contact their provider if they require assistance with back-up power or supplies for medical devices.
• For information on well water and food safety, please visit Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health’s website for information.
• Prepare for emergencies. Ensure you have an emergency kit with essential items such as flashlights, batteries, medications, and important documents. Find more information on creating your emergency kit here.

Follow the guidance of local officials. We can keep our community safe by being prepared and remaining informed.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Megan Ball, Manager of Communications
mball@dufferincounty.ca