Update, May 17: Members of the Katzie First Nation are still looking for volunteers to help with sandbagging. Crews will be at 20546 Allard Cres. until 9 p.m. tonight. Call the Katzie First Nation at 604-465-8961 for more info.
Help Needed: If you live near Langley, and would like to help save the Katzie First Nation people's homes from flooding, please come help shovel sandbags between 9am and 9pm. Address is 20546 Allard Cres., Langley. Even if you can spare one hour! Thanks! pic.twitter.com/LHjrL2ygj9
— Brad Dirks : Love Winz (@BradDirks) May 17, 2018
Original story:
With the Township of Langley issuing an evacuation alert to unprotected areas of Northwest Langley yesterday, members of the Katzie First Nation are now working to get ahead of the flood water as quickly as possible.
Volunteers will be stacking 18,000 sandbags along the west end of Allard Crescent in Langley today from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and co-ordinating emergency efforts for residents on Barnston Island, who received an evacuation alert this morning, as well as Pitt Meadows.
HELP, Katzie Nation needs our help! Katzie will begin sandbagging today from 9am-9pm at 20546 Allard Crescent. If you have anytime, please come down to help! Thanks
— Cecelia Reekie (@cecelia_reekie) May 16, 2018
“We are sending crews of volunteers over to begin our flood preparedness and we do have some lower lying properties,” said Chief Grace Cunningham of the Katzie First Nation.
“And of course, Yorkson Creek comes through the back, so they’re having issues with flood waters coming in from the back, and also they’re getting it from the front (along the Fraser River).”
More volunteers are needed, along with donations of food and water for those doing the sandbagging. Those who are not physically able to work, can help with other co-ordinating efforts as well, Cunningham added.
“We’re just asking that if people come forward to volunteer, it would be a great help to bring their own gear, their own shovels and their own gloves,” she said.
“We will be providing support by way of meals at lunch and at the end of the day. It’s kind of hard to predict what that’s going to look like. We’re doing our best to deal with the emergency and then also take care of the people coming forward. We’re trying to cover both to the best of our ability, it’s a bit challenging.”
READ MORE: Flood evacuation alert issued in Northwest Langley
The Katzie First Nation is currently working with Emergency BC, and has created an emergency operation centre in Pitt Meadows to support its communities.
“We’re managing three different parts of our community and each community has different issues,” Cunningham said.
“So we’re working with Metro Vancouver for Barnston Island, we’re working with Pitt Meadows Emergency from their city, and we’re working with Ginger Sherlock from the (Langley Emergency Program). So we’ve pulled in as many resources as we can to best support us, and make sure that we’re contacting the proper supports in all areas.”
miranda@langleytimes.com
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