Cold snap closes schools, challenges workers

Last week was cold. Cold enough that Wolf Creek schools were closed for the day and many employees stayed in if they could.

Temperatures dropped from -6 degrees C to -30 C the evening of Jan. 16 and stayed that way for most of the week. The wind chill — in Alberta wind chill is always something to consider — made temperatures seem more like -40 C. Temperatures were close to beating the Jan. 19 1999 record low of -40 C.

For Ponoka RCMP it was business as usual, with some necessary modifications. Staff Sgt. Cameron Chisholm said police plan for the worst as they might have to be outside for an extended period of time.

“We run 24/7 regardless of weather,” he stated.

The biggest challenge police face is keeping their vehicles’ batteries charged; extra electronic equipment draws power and sometimes drains the battery. With temperatures as low as were, police left their cruisers running, not only to keep the battery charged, but also to keep alcohol-screening equipment warm, which could become less accurate when cold.

Wolf Creek Public Schools superintendent Larry Jacobs said the decision to close schools involves discussion with transportation manager Chuck Richter and bus drivers throughout the area.

Road conditions, temperature and wind chill factors are all considered when making the 5:30 a.m. decision. The temperature threshold including wind chill is -40 C and Jacobs has to consider the different areas involved on the bus route. There are occasions one area may be affected, due to snow or icy roads, where Jacobs will close affected schools, but not the entire school division.

“I have to look at safety of kids on maybe a 100-kilometre route,” he said.

If buses are shut down for the day then the schools also are closed, but teachers will still come to school if they can. Buses also have two-way communication between schools and Wolf Creek in case of accidents or a bus breakdown.

For the St. Thomas Aquinas Roman Catholic School division, their schools are in several communities and they must consider each area. Schools will remain open but they use the Wolf Creek Schools’ bus system in Lacombe and Ponoka and follow the guideline of the school division.

Superintendent Jamie McNamara said St. Augustine Catholic School will stay open in spite of extreme weather. “In some cases parents have no choice but to drop off their children.”

Staff are encouraged to come in at a reasonable time as long as they are safe when driving.

The Town of Ponoka’s director of property services, Stan Baliant, said when temperatures reach - 40 C, equipment will be shut down to decrease risk of breakdown. Certain services, such as snow removal or sanding trucks are necessary and will operate as required.

Otherwise staff will keep busy with equipment maintenance.

When the weather turns colder, most operations appear to have clear guidelines on how they need to manage their staff and equipment, but one thing seems to jump out for each one: safety.