It was Wednesday night around 11:08 p.m. when Jennifer Tweedie realized she needed to evacuate her Hay River home.
SA国际影视传媒淚 was FaceTiming my husband and I could see the water starting to rise over West Channel Bridge Road,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淓ight minutes later there was three feet of river running through our yard.SA国际影视传媒�
The couple live on Saskatoon Drive and werenSA国际影视传媒檛 included in the TownSA国际影视传媒檚 evacuation notice.
SA国际影视传媒淏ut I knew we were in danger,SA国际影视传媒� said Tweedie, who teaches Grade 5/6 at Princess Alexandra School in Hay River.
In fact, she says she had a feeling that the flood waters were coming and had moved her valuables from the basement just days before.
Alvin Pitre, 64, TweedieSA国际影视传媒檚 husband arrived home quickly, and they drove off together in one of their vehicles.
They left the other car behind SA国际影视传媒� now SA国际影视传媒渢oast,SA国际影视传媒� Tweedie said.
For one night, they stayed at a friendSA国际影视传媒檚 home in Hay River who lived on higher ground, and over the course of the night, they heard sirens and chaos.
SA国际影视传媒淚t was triggering,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
By Thursday morning, May 12, the couple decided to seek refugee in Yellowknife.
SA国际影视传媒淏y that point so many friends reached out to us to help. WeSA国际影视传媒檝e been in the North for 23 years and felt so supported. We had supper with a different friendSA国际影视传媒檚 house each night we were in Yellowknife.SA国际影视传媒�
Feeling SA国际影视传媒渞echargedSA国际影视传媒� by the hospitality, the couple drove back home on May 16.
When they returned around 6:30 p.m., the found their basement completely ruined, but nothing of major value lost, which Tweedie credits to acting on her intuition.
SA国际影视传媒淚 wish I wasnSA国际影视传媒檛 right but I was,SA国际影视传媒� she said.
The power was out and they had no heat, so the couple slept in toques.
Their home insurance, as is standard, will not cover the damage as itSA国际影视传媒檚 considered an SA国际影视传媒楢ct of GodSA国际影视传媒�, so they must rely on the GNWTSA国际影视传媒檚 Disaster Assistance Policy to recover.
SEE: GNWT updates Disaster Assistance Policy for flood victims
SA国际影视传媒淭he GNWT has really stepped up. We have $240,000 available to us but itSA国际影视传媒檚 not a blank check SA国际影视传媒� we will have to hand in receipts and assessorSA国际影视传媒檚 are coming in today to survey the damage,SA国际影视传媒� said Tweedie.
Tradesman will be coming in to remove the drywall, and they have set up humidifiers.
For the clean up, itSA国际影视传媒檚 all hands on deck SA国际影视传媒� including two of TweedieSA国际影视传媒檚 students, Donavin Rodger-Evans and Corbin Scheller.
SA国际影视传媒淭hey showed up and said, SA国际影视传媒榃e are here to help you Ms. Tweedie!SA国际影视传媒� And I gave them a big hug and put them to work!SA国际影视传媒� she laughed.
SA国际影视传媒淲e feel very supported, even though this is monumental, because of the help of the entire northern community, we are able to take this on,SA国际影视传媒� said Tweedie.
