Emergency alerts and preparedness in Armstrong and Spallumcheen, BC

Armstrong and Spallumcheen can face winter storms, power outages, wildfire smoke, and flooding along the creeks. A little planning in November makes each of these easier. This page covers how to get alerts, what the evacuation terms mean, and what to keep at home.

Sign up for local alerts

Armstrong and Spallumcheen are both in the Regional District of North Okanagan (RDNO). The regional district sends emergency notices through an alert app called Voyent Alert. Check the RDNO website for the current sign-up steps. Sign up before an emergency, because setup takes a few minutes and phone service can be poor during one.

The province also posts emergency news at EmergencyInfoBC. Its website is emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca. It lists evacuation alerts, evacuation orders, and wildfire updates for the whole province.

For road closures, use DriveBC at drivebc.ca. Our guide to winter road conditions and tire rules covers how to check a route before you leave.

What evacuation terms mean

BC uses three terms. Each one asks for a different action.

Evacuation alert. Be ready to leave on short notice. Pack your kit, fuel your vehicle, and plan where you will go. You do not have to leave yet.

Evacuation order. Leave the area right away. Local authorities have decided the risk to life is too high. Follow the route and the reception center named in the order.

Evacuation rescind. The order or alert has ended. It is safe to return.

If you get an order, do not wait to finish chores. Take your people, your animals, your medicine, and your documents.

Who to call

Call 911 when someone is hurt or in danger. The 911 operator sends police, fire, or ambulance.

For a non-emergency police matter, call the North Okanagan RCMP in Armstrong at 250-546-3028.

For a problem on a City street, call City Hall at 250-546-3023. For a rural road or Township matter in Spallumcheen, call the Township office at 250-546-3013. Our who to call page has more numbers. Not sure which one applies to your address? Read which municipality your address is in.

Armstrong has no hospital. The closest emergency room is at Vernon Jubilee Hospital in Vernon.

For a wildfire, call the BC Wildfire Service at 1-800-663-5555, or dial *5555 on a cell phone. Our guide to open burning and campfire rules explains when fires are allowed.

Prepare for a power outage

Winter storms can bring down lines on rural roads. A rural outage can last longer than a town outage because crews have farther to travel. Your power bill names your utility. Report an outage to that utility, and keep its outage number saved in your phone.

Keep these at home:

• Flashlights and spare batteries
• A battery or crank radio
• Bottled water, at least 2 liters per person per day for drinking
• Food that needs no cooking, such as canned goods, crackers, and peanut butter
• A manual can opener
• Phone chargers and a charged power bank
• Warm blankets and extra clothing
• A first aid kit
• Any prescription medicine, with a few days of extra supply if your doctor and pharmacy allow

PreparedBC, the provincial program, advises that households be ready to look after themselves for at least 72 hours. Its website is preparedbc.ca. It offers free guides for households, including a grab-and-go bag checklist.

Never run a generator, barbecue, or camp stove indoors or in a garage. They give off carbon monoxide. Keep a generator outside and away from windows and doors.

Build a grab-and-go bag

An evacuation can come with little warning. Keep one bag by the door with these items:

• Copies of ID, insurance papers, and the deed or lease
• Cash in small bills
• A list of phone numbers written on paper
• Medicine and glasses
• A change of clothes for each person
• Chargers
• Food and water for animals

Pick a meeting spot and an out-of-town contact. Tell every person in the home where both are. If phone lines are busy, texting often works better than calling.

Farms and animals

Many properties in Spallumcheen hold horses, cattle, chickens, or other livestock. Plan for them before an alert comes. Decide where you would move them and how. Keep halters, carriers, and trailer hitches ready. Know who can help you load. Write your name and phone number on a tag you can attach to a horse’s halter.

For feed and bedding supplies, see farm supply and feed stores. For boarding options, see horse boarding and training.

Check on neighbors

Seniors, people who live alone, and people with limited mobility may need help in an outage or a storm. Knock on a door or make a call. Our guide to seniors’ housing and services lists local resources.

If a household runs short of food after an emergency, see food bank and food help.

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