Estevan Fire Rescue Service (EFRS) members were called out to an incident that involved a tree and a power line during the weekend.
The call came in at about 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. High winds broke a big tree branch that came in contact with a power line in north-central Estevan. The neighbours living next to the property where the incident occurred called it in.
“A substantially large tree branch had fallen and came across the main power line for the home. Of course, we called in SaskPower emergency response crews to assist us on scene,” said Fire Chief Dale Feser.
The home was secured, and there were vehicles parked in front of the building. Fire crews that responded to the call set up a perimeter to prevent people from coming in contact with a downed powerline that was still live. They also alerted all neighbours to ensure they were staying away.
The Estevan Police Service was called in for assistance to help to find and alert a homeowner who could have been sleeping inside.
“It was noted that there was a Sun Country Health (Region)’s parking pass that was in the mirror of one of the vehicles. We ran the plate number to make a contact to see if somebody may be sleeping inside if they were a shift worker,” said Feser.
A short time later, SaskPower crews joined the EFRS members, isolated power and proceeded with repairs to restore power to the home. No one was injured as a result of the incident.
Sunday’s thunderstorms didn’t create extra work for the fire department, however, Feser reminded the public that since it’s that time of the year, it’s important to keep an eye on the weather forecasts and be prepared for possible severe weather conditions.
“You want to make sure that you keep your eyes to the sky. We are in prime time here now, where summer weather can be very violent at times. Make sure that you are building a plan and preparing for that, understand the difference between watches and warnings. And when a warning is issued, that means that there is an imminent danger and the storm or tornado is occurring. That’s when you are going to want to take shelter and make sure you are finding a safe spot to be during that event.”
A watch is issued when there is a potential for the development of severe thunderstorm or a tornado in the area. Warnings indicate that severe weather is forthcoming or already occurring.
