Nova Scotians Brace for Hurricane Earl

As the threat of Hurricane Earl nears, the Emergency Management Office continues to urge Nova Scotians to heed weather warnings and take the steps necessary to protect themselves and their families.

As of noon, today, Sept. 3, Environment Canada tracking showed the hurricane 280 kilometres northeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., moving north northeast at 33 kilometres per hour.

Hurricane watches are in effect for Digby, Halifax, Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne and Yarmouth counties. Tropical storm watches have been issued for the rest of the province.

The Emergency Management Office has activated its Joint Emergency Operations Centre and EMO staff continue to receive updates from the Canadian Hurricane Centre.

"Hurricane Earl continues to be a very powerful storm as it moves closer to our province," said Ramona Jennex, Minister of Emergency Management. "Regardless of the specific track, many areas of Nova Scotia will be affected."

"I urge all Nova Scotians to continue to prepare for the storm and begin making plans to stay put over the weekend."

The Department of Natural Resources closed provincial camping parks at 1 p.m. today, and all other provincial parks will close at 7 p.m. Facilities will remain closed until further notice. Parks Canada has announced that Kejimkujik National Park and National Historic Site, Fort Anne National Historic Site, Port Royal National Historic Site, and Fort Edward National Historic Site will be closing today. For updates on national parks, please visit www.pc.gc.ca.

Government officials are in close contact with public utilities. Crews from Nova Scotia Power, Bell Aliant and EastLink are on stand-by and are ready to address any impacts to services that may be caused by the storm.

Feed Nova Scotia advises that their helpline will be staffed throughout the weekend, regardless of weather conditions. This confidential service, available by calling 421-1188 or 1-877-521-1188, will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Keeping in mind that hurricanes are unpredictable, Nova Scotians should reconsider weekend plans, especially outdoor activities. Event organizers across the province are advised to continue to closely monitor weather and public safety advisories.

As the storm gets closer to the province, people should take some key steps to ensure the safety of themselves and their families:

• Park vehicles in a garage or away from trees
• Keep pets indoors
• Do not go down to the water to watch the storm. Most people who are killed during hurricanes are caught in large waves, storm surges or flood waters
• On a farm, it may be better to leave livestock unsheltered. Animals left outside are likely to suffer less injury than those placed in shelters

As always, Nova Scotians are advised to call 911 in an emergency situation and to have some basic supplies prepared, including an emergency kit and amenities to help cope with a power outage.

For more information on preparing for an emergency, including important safety precautions, visit the EMO website at www.gov.ns.ca/emo.