Category: Uncategorized

Categories
Uncategorized

Alberta Province Asked to Conserve Power As Much As Possible

Alberta province, conserve power
Alberta province, conserve power

 

Residents who live anywhere in Alberta province have been asked to power down as much as possible to conserve energy. The request to reduce the amount of electricity that is used was sent by The Alberta Electric System Operator, and there were several things that made the request necessary. Alberta province has seen some excessively high temperatures and heat recently so power demand is already high as residents try to keep cool in any way they can. There has been little wind and this is also a factor, because there is not enough wind to generate the power required for unlimited electric use by Alberta province residents. In addition a number of the company generators are off line for various reasons, and this has caused the utility to operate close to their maximum capacity.

 

Some tips offered by Alberta province in order to help residents conserve power include:

  • Turn off lights as you leave a room
  • Unplug appliances when they are not in use. Even if you are not running the blender it will still pull a small amount of electricity if it is plugged in.
  • Install room darkening blinds or just plain old shades on your windows. This will help eliminate direct sunlight into your home or office which can heat things up quickly and require power for cooling.
  • Wait until night to do laundry or run the dishwasher. There is usually a lower demand for power at night and you will use less because it is typically cooler at this time because the sun has gone down.

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Recent Heat Wave Caused Heat Advisory to be Issued

Northern Alberta, heat wave
Northern Alberta, heat wave

 

Northern Alberta recently suffered a big heat wave, causing a heat advisory to be issued for the region and people staying in instead of going outside. The Alberta Health Services issued a heat advisory which affected Mildred Lake and Fort Chipewyan. Parents and seniors are being warned that the excessive heat can cause serious conditions up to and including heat stroke, sunburn, and heat exhaustion. Dehydration and an imbalance in electrolytes are also possible during excessive temperatures. Those most at risk according to the Northern Alberta heat wave advisory are the very young and the elderly, anyone who works outside, and anyone who has any cardiovascular problems or respiratory conditions. Everyone is advised to avoid being exposed outside for extended periods, and to stay indoors during the hottest hours of the day whenever possible.

 

The heat wave in Northern Alberta does not have to cause problems when you know what to do and how to stay cool. Make sure that you drink plenty of water and other fluids, but avoid alcohol and caffeine because these can dehydrate you faster. If you must be outside then wear sunglasses, and a wide brimmed hat that protects your head from the direct sun and extreme heat. If you suspect heat stroke, heat exhaustion, or severe sunburn you should seek immediate medical attention. According to AHS North Zone Medical Officer of Health Dr. Gerhard Benade “Normal activity that may be safe on a cool day might be dangerous in current weather conditions. If you start to feel overheated, stop your activity immediately, seek shade and drink fluids. eek medical attention immediately for any individual feeling faint. While awaiting medical attention, move the individual to a shaded area, and remove his or her outer clothing and shoes. You should also wrap the person in a wet towel until medical care is being provided. Excessive heat can aggravate underlying medical illness such as congestive heart failure, and can also be of heightened danger to children and seniors.”

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Community Mailboxes are Removed by Canada Post

community mailboxes, Canada Post
community mailboxes, Canada Post

 

The recently installed Fort MacMurray community mailboxes which were situated on Greely Road have been removed by Canada Post, and the mailboxes were never even activated because the time between installation and removal was so short. Canada Post had stated that the Greely Road location was not acceptable according to the guiding principles of the business, and there were complaints about the newly installed boxes before they were removed. There were issues with accessibility for some, and there were too many of the mailboxes spaces too closely together. According to Anick Losier, who is the media relations director for Canada Post, “We said that we’d be mindful of health and safety, accessibility, plus have a set of standards that just guides our work through the past 30 years or so with community mailboxes. Obviously, the site was too big and we had some concerns as to where it was located, so immediately we made the decision to take it down.”

 

Some of the most common complaints to Canada Post about the recent community mailboxes on Greely Road included the fact that they were located in a school zone and also situated in an area that has a high amount of traffic. Both of these conditions pose safety risks for those trying to access the community mailboxes. Many residents of Fort MacMurray were negative on a survey that was provided, and some felt that the grouping of mailboxes was too large. Canada United Postal Worker Fort MacMurray local chapter president Chellae Rehbein stated “Once (the Greely Road site) hit social media, they realized what a mistake they’d made and took it down. Community mailboxes cut 8,000 jobs across the country, but this specific location has been our number one fighting spot.”

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Fort MacMurray Hosts Craft Beer Festival September 6

Craft beer festival, Fort MacMurray
Craft beer festival, Fort MacMurray

 

Fort MacMurray will host Brutopia, a craft beer festival that is new and innovative. Some of the finest brews in the provinces can be sampled and marveled over, and the event will be held on September 6 at the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre. In addition to the best brews around there will also be plenty of food. Live music, a DJ, and much more. Brutopia is an event for adults only, so anyone in Fort MacMurray who is underage can not attend. The Sawridge Inn is even offering a discounted rate for rooms on this date so that no one is driving when they shouldn’t be. There will be vendors from all over Western Canada in attendance. Samples of beer, wine, and exceptional food will be available.

 

Attending the Brutopia craft beer festival in Fort MacMurray is easy as long as you are an adult. There is an entry fee charged to enter the event, and tickets for samples will be sold for $1 each. Each one of the vendors will have certain items available for you to sample and they will charge between 1 and 3 tickets per sample. The vendors have the right to refuse service even if you have the required number of tickets at their discretion. At least 20 vendors will have beer samples, and it may be as many as 25. The rest of the vendors will offer samples of wine or food. This is a chance for the residents of Fort MacMurray to do something exciting without having to drive for an hour or more.

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Fort MacMurray Taxi Driver Assault Under Investigation

Fort MacMurray, assault, crime in Fort MacMurray
Fort MacMurray, assault, crime in Fort MacMurray

 

A recent crime in Fort MacMurray is under investigation, and it is believed that an aggravated assault occurred on a taxi driver right outside of a pub. The RCMP are asking the public for help in finding the person who committed this vicious crime. The victim was a taxi driver for United Class Cabs, and he was in his parked vehicle outside of the Thickwood pub Sino’s Pub when he was found at around 2:30 am. After the victim was transported to Northern Lights Regional Hospital he was admitted with head injuries and then flown out to another hospital in Edmonton. Right now there are no suspects or possible motives for this Fort MacMurray crime, but the police are hoping that someone saw something or knows something and will come forward.

 

Crime in Fort MacMurray is a problem, and this latest assault shows that many streets here are not always safe. Since this incident happened in the early morning there may not be any witnesses to what happens. The victim was upgraded to stable condition and may be able to remember and relate to police what happened that night. Fort MacMurray is just like any other city or town, with a mix of people and morals. It is possible that someone attempted to rob the taxi driver and that is how the aggravated assault happened, or someone may have been angry at the man for some reason. Hopefully the police will catch the person or persons who committed this crime and make them face justice. Do you think crime in Fort MacMurray is increasing?

 

Categories
Uncategorized

Just How Safe are Suncor Workers in Fort MacMurray?

Suncor workers, workplace safety
Suncor workers, workplace safety

 

Suncor workers must have safety training and follow strict workplace safety protocols, but just how safe are these employees? Another recent death puts the total number of Suncor workers who have died either at the company sites or close to them at 6 in 2014 so far. According to the President and CEO of Suncor, Steve Williams, “Incidents like these are unprecedented and not acceptable,. We have assembled a major task force to intensify safety efforts and ensure tragedies like these never happen again.” The most recent incident is suspected to have been a heart attack, when Suncor workers found the man around 3 in the morning and called paramedics to the scene. When the hazards of the work that is involved with the big energy companies are considered the number of workplace safety incidents and on the job accidents are still small.

Suncor workers are extensively trained in workplace safety, and some accidents are unavoidable. From all appearances so far the latest of the Suncor workers who have died on the job suffered from a heart attack, and there is not anything that the company can do about this health condition. If a heart attack was the cause of the latest death of Suncor workers on the job then it had nothing to do with workplace safety. Before this latest incident there were already 5 deaths on or near Suncor sites, three employees died, one each in three separate incidents, and two Suncor contractors died in two different incidents. Would you work for one of the big oil companies in Fort MacMurray?