Hundreds in Abbotsford help fill sandbags around Barrowtown Pump Station amid floods
Posted Nov 17, 2021 6:49 am.
A dire situation in Abbotsford has also brought the community together, with hundreds of volunteers showing up Tuesday night to help fill sandbags amid major floods at the Barrowtown Pump Station.
Abbotsford Mayor Henry Braun says they are not out of the woods yet, but there was some progress in relieving the pressure thanks in part to the efforts last night.
Abbotsford @MayorHenryBraun says Barrowtown Pump operating at full capacity. Thanking about 300 people who came out to build a dam through the night to protect it, “buying” city some time. Stresses it was city decision not to send out emergency alert. @CityNewsVAN pic.twitter.com/PkePTZHqrz
— Monika Gul (@MonikaGul) November 17, 2021
One man who joined the effort says groups began showing up shortly after the city’s mayor made a desperate plea, asking those in the Sumas Prairie area to leave their homes immediately amid an evacuation order.
Mayor Henry Braun said there was the potential the pump station — a critical piece of infrastructure — to fail. That, he explained, could result in water from the Fraser River entering the already flooded are of Abbotsford, only adding to the emergency.
Read more: ‘Nothing is worth your life’: Abbotsford mayor pleads with people to evacuate Sumas Prairie
Erik says he and a friend arrived to help around 10 p.m. after seeing a Facebook post about others heading to the pump station.
“At about 12 a.m. sandbagging started and there was probably 250 people,” he told CityNews. “We formed three lines and spent just over three hours building a wall. Heavy equipment worked on (the) more accessible north end of the station and continued to do so overnight.”
— Erik Dv (@erikdv) November 17, 2021
The fire department is said to have helped get everything organized, setting up three massive lines of people to shuttle sandbags toward a wall on the south side of the pump station.
Erik recalls staff at the pump station describing how quickly the water rose in the area, noting some spilled into the facility.
The Barrowtown Pump Station in Abbotsford is surrounded by water as floods continue to push levels higher. (Courtesy Twitter/Erikdv)
He says while dozens of people showed up, many more wanted to help too — though parking and access were limited.
“It was interesting to see the community come together so quickly, many of them being local Chilliwack farmers,” he said, noting the pump station, which is in Abbotsford, primarily serves Abbotsford.
Erik adds a Chilliwack community Facebook group he admins with nearly 20,000 members was filled with posts asking how others could support the effort. Erik tells CityNews he was later asked to tell Facebook group members not to come to the station.
— Erik Dv (@erikdv) November 17, 2021
Abbotsford police took to Twitter after volunteers showed up at the Barrowtown Pump Station to ask that people stay away.
“Crews on site are seeing the public arrive in this area which is hampering emergency operations currently underway,” the tweet, posted shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, reads.
The Emergency Operations Center is asking the public to NOT attend the Barrowtown pump station in the attempt to assist emergency crews. Crews on site are seeing the public arrive in this area which is hampering emergency operations currently underway.
— Abbotsford Police Department (@AbbyPoliceDept) November 17, 2021
On Tuesday, Mayor Braun admitted the water levels in his community were unlike anything he had ever seen before.
“Additional water flow down from Sumas Mountain is also now creating further flooding in the area. This event is anticipated to be catastrophic,” he said during the Sumas Prairie update.
He stressed the importance of the pump station but urged those in evacuation areas to leave while they still had time.
“If those pumps go down — and that’s an if — there’s nowhere for that water to go so people will be incredibly surprised how quickly the situation will develop,” Braun added.
Braun says if the pump does fail, the city is prepared to send an emergency alert via text message.
