P.E.I. officials preparing for hurricane season in a post-Fiona world

As officials in Prince Edward Island prepare for hurricane season, they are urging Islanders to get ready for future Fiona-level storms — whenever they may hit.

"The bar has changed," said Kim Griffin, a spokesperson for Maritime Electric. "We're comparing everything that we do to that of Fiona."

Since storm season began, the utility company has been circulating hurricane preparedness information in bill inserts and on its website. Still, seeing Hurricane Ernesto tracking toward the Island earlier this week was a reminder to be aware and ready for storms at all times, Griffin said.

Ernesto has since shifted to the east, meaning the storm is expected to bypass most parts of the Maritimes.

Since post-tropical storm Fiona swept across the Island in September 2022, Griffin said Maritime Electric has made some changes in how it prepares for storms. The utility company is holding frequent incident command meetings, conducting more tabletop exercises and training new employees based on what it learned from Fiona.

"We never want to have the power out," Griffin said. "It's all about trying to make sure that we're ready for any type of weather that Mother Nature sends our way."

She acknowledged that Maritime Electric customers are still "quite nervous" about hurricanes, and some still don't feel prepared for another storm like Fiona.  

"Even when there's high winds now, anxiety levels are high," Griffin said. 

P.E.I. Public Safety Minister Bloyce Thompson said that while Islanders can never fully anticipate what a storm will bring, they can be prepared to the best of their abilities.

That's advice he said the province has taken as well. 

A year ago, P.E.I. established its first Major Incident Readiness Team, bringing together several government departments to prepare for future weather-related disasters.

It also put money toward stocking 25 reception centres with supplies and generators, updating infrastructure and equipment at 30 fire halls, and supporting P.E.I. gas stations wanting to buy generators to keep their pumps open to customers. 

Thompson said 19 gas stations have bought generators with provincial money so far, and he expects a total of 45 to have bought them come the fall. 

These generators will help make sure Islanders have access to fuel for vehicles, home generators and chainsaws in the aftermath of a storm, he said. Major lineups at the gas stations that had generators were a big problem in the days after Fiona hit. 

Thompson said the province has also been working with cell phone providers to ensure Islanders have reception after a storm hits. He said the province has been told providers have secured generators to power towers. 

"Fiona was definitely something to sit back and reflect on and say, 'This can happen again and it will probably happen again,'" Thompson said. 

On the municipal level, the Charlottetown Fire Department says it has been working with organizations in the community as it prepares for the height of the Atlantic hurricane season, which officially ends on Nov. 30. 

Spencer Waite, a fire prevention officer with the city, said officials have been co-ordinating with churches, cafeterias, grocery stores, pharmacies and transportation companies to make sure Islanders that need the help when a storm hits will have places to sleep, food to eat, places to shower, and ways to get around.

Many of those organizations are "more receptive now than they ever were" to working with the city on hurricane preparedness plans, Waite said. He said 33 have signed memorandums of understanding to take action should a storm hit. 

"Fiona was certainly a wake-up call for all of us," Waite said.

Tim Mamye, Charlottetown's fire chief, said crew members whe experienced Fiona learned a lot from it. 

"Just having that knowledge and experience in your back pocket pays off the next time you need it," he said. 

To prepare for hurricane season, Mamye recommended Islanders familiarize themselves with the municipal, provincial and federal advice on getting ready for an emergency.

Those recommendations include stocking up on water, non-perishable food, batteries and medication; having insurance paperwork on hand; and knowing where the closest reception centres are. 

Mamye also said Islanders should stay up to date on the weather as a storm approaches, then listen to emergency crews and be prepared to evacuate if that becomes necessary.