Armed Forces receive 450 calls for assistance with snowclearing in St. John’s

Before Brig.-gen. Roch Pelletier gave an update on the Canadian Armed Forces’ response to the storm in Newfoundland, Liberal MP Seamus O’regan said what’s evident is the level of co-operation involved.

“Co-ordination can sometimes be a life and death matter ... in situations like this,” he said. “The most important thing for me today is just to be able to meet some of these men and women face to face and thank them.”

Between reservists and regular forces, the province and municipalities, the co-ordination has been extraordinary, O’regan said.

Pelletier said they are assessing daily whether there is still a need for troops to help residents in Newfoundland.

“Right now, we’re not at a stage where we can say that we are ready to decide or make that decision (to stop assisting),” he said.

The decision will be made by consulting with the provincial emergency operation centre, Public Safety Canada, and provincial and municipal authorities.

“As of this morning, we still have many calls coming in,” Pelletier said. “The 27 teams that we have are all on the ground answering calls as we speak.”

Approximately 450 tasks in the St. John’s area have been referred to the forces from the emergency operation centre. So far, they have completed approximately 380, Pelletier said.

Many of the calls they have answered have been to aid people with medical issues who needed to get to a hospital, he said.

There were also many calls for elderly people who had trouble clearing the snow.

When asked whether they will stay to help with further snowclearing, Pelletier said the priority is emergency response and matters of safety.

“It’s really not necessary for us to get involved with (other) tasks,” he said.

After having a chance to visit the troops, he says they are happy.

“They are very excited to have the opportunity to help their own citizens here in Atlantic Canada,” Pelletier said.

“I was very impressed with their reaction and the fact that they were leaving their loved ones behind, probably some of them in need as well, to come here, get ready and be out there to support the city of St. John’s. It was a great reaction and I’m very proud of them.”