Nova Scotians are facing days of clean-up from the weekend storm that dumped more than a metre of snow on some areas of the province. Parks Canada is sending snow removal equipment, and helicopters from the Canadian Coast Guard are set to help out where needed. Nova Scotia’s emergency management minister John Lohr says the province has asked for help from neighbouring provinces but federal aid is needed to maintain public safety. A state of local emergency remains in place in Cape Breton.
As Public Works crews continue to work on clearing the streets, dealing with the large amounts of accumulated snow and snow drifts, New Glasgow Regional Police are reminding everyone to be safe. The high snow banks can hinder drivers’ ability to see other vehicles, so take your time and be careful when entering and exiting intersections, driveways and streets. Also, keep children away from snow banks near the street.
With snow piled high in areas across the province, the RCMP says now is a good time to remind children and young people to stay safe while playing in snowbanks. Visibility can be reduced and motorists are reminded to slow down and stay alert – especially in residential areas.
The RCMP says Sextortion is a growing threat and it’s happening in Nova Scotia. Youth in the 14-24 age range are being targeted by online offenders, and are sometimes deceived and manipulated into sending explicit photos or videos. The offender then blackmails the victim into sending more images, money or both. The RCMP encourages you to talk to the young people in your family about this growing threat and how they can prevent it from happening to them…including by being cautious when engaging with new or unknown individuals online; and never share intimate images.
Canadian Blood Services will be looking for potential stem cell donors at two Nova Scotia Universities later this month. Students at Dalhousie University in Halifax and Acadia University in Wolfville are being asked to register and potentially be a match for one of the nearly one-thousand Canadian patients waiting for a lifesaving stem cell transplant. Potential donors must be between the ages of 17 and 35, and they must provide a swab sample from the inside of their cheek. Stem cell transplants can treat over 80 diseases and disorders, and when a patient undergoes a stem cell transplant, it’s often their last hope for survival.
