Manitouwadge Prepared And Waiting For Evacuees

Written by admin on 21 July 2011

Canadian Red Cross cots/blankets/pillows are ready to accomodate 50 people at the Manitouwadge Recreation Centre auditorium. Photo OntarioNewsNorth.com 2011

MANITOUWADGE, ON – OntarioNewsNorth.com spoke with Mayor John MacEachern today regarding the township’s emergency control group’s preparations for 150 evacuees from Northwestern Ontario (possibly from Sandy Lake First Nations, the same community where evacuees staying in Marathon and Wawa are from) expected to be hosted by the community. Mayor MacEachern explained that the town was ready and looking forward to welcoming the vacuees; “The potential guests have been forced out of their homes by forest fires [or smoke] and are going through very trying times; I feel confident the residents of Manitouwadge will make them feel most welcome and that there will be adequate volunteers stepping forward and offering their names to assist with the situation” said Mayor MacEachern. The Mayor continued explaining that “We have cots for 150 people prepared from the Red Cross, we’ll accomodated 50 evacuees at the Recreation Centre and another 100 evacuees at Manitouwadge High School.”

Though residents in host communities like Marathon, Wawa, and soon Manitouwadge, seem pleased to have the opportunity to help the Northwestern Ontario evacuees some have expressed concerns that these municipalities are financially equipped to do so but MacEachern explained that this would not be an issue as the township will be reimbursed, by higher levels of government/appropriate organizations, for any expenses incurred as hosts.

As OntarioNewsNorth.com spoke with cashiers at local grocery stores, they shared that people had seemed to be buying in larger quantities then prior to news of Manitouwadge’s potential to be a host community had spread. One cashier said customers’ recent buying was more similar, in her opinion, to before a big holiday or long weekend with people appearing to be stocking-up on necessities like milk and bread but the Mayor didn’t feel this was necessary assuring OntarioNewsNorth.com that the local grocers, and the pharmacy had been notified early on about the expected guests and he was confident these businesses were making necessary adjustments.

Residents are reminded that volunteers are still needed and will continue to be thoughout the arrival of evacuees, during their stay and to a lesser extent afterwards; if you are interested, please contact Margaret Hartling indicating if you have a driver’s license or other specific skills that may be of assistance: via phone 826-3227 ext 236 or by email at mhartling@manitouwadge.ca.