How to be Ready for Strong Winds and Tornadoes
Is not a secret that in Manitoba we can have very strong winds. And those winds tend to be at their strongest during spring and fall. We regularly see winds between 20 to 40 kms average and in some cases, the measuring stick gets 90 kms which can occasionally cause damage. We saw this earlier in the year in some areas of Western Manitoba.
Strong Winds and Storms have been causing damage all over Canada every year and we see many every year. With climate change, the number of storms causing damage to homes or properties is significantly increasing annually.
“Climate change is costing Canadian taxpayers, governments, and businesses billions of dollars every year,” said Craig Stewart, Vice-President of Federal Affairs for IBC. “We must take the necessary steps to limit these losses in the future. The cost of inaction is too high.”
When windstorms take the next step, a much more imposing problem can come into the forefront. A tornado is less common, but still a very possible situation in the prairies, as open areas that jet streams cross paths are prime locations for tornado activity. We saw some of the worst tornado activity in recent history this year in Manitoba with two fatalities taking place just outside of Brandon.
So how can we best prepare? Here is a quick list of ways to prep for the potential of wind.
How to be ready:
1. Trees: Is important to trim and remove the damaged branches from trees, these kinds of trees are weaker and can break and fall on top of cars, houses, or even people. If you detect this problem, you can call a tree trimming business or your hydro company and they will help you to trim it or remove it.
2. Projectiles: secure any potential projectiles. A garbage can, furniture, jars, cans, or anything that wind can pick up needs to be locked down to help minimize potential damage.
3. Anchor: Secure any shed, carport, or detached structure.
4. Secure Furniture: Be careful with frames, shelves and other kind of appliances that can be move and get broken. It would be best to bring any outdoor furniture into storage.
5. Roof: Is one the most likely areas to suffer. Be on the lookout for loose tiles and double secure them.
6. Connections: Especially in a wood-frame house you may want to look at reinforcing the common connections between the roof, walls and its foundations.
Our final recommendation would be to have a good insurance coverage, according to Insurance Bureau of Canada, a suitable policy covers all damage by wind, hail, snow, or rain.
The new saying in Canada is “wind is the new water”
The Restorer
If you do experience any wind, hail, snow, or rain damage this fall contact us today to help you through the process. At the first sign of damage you can contact Neil at neil@emergency1.ca or 204-727.help(4357) and he will help you through the entirety of the process. Including making the insurance claim!