This RDN Disaster Recovery Webinar (recorded in 2021) includes Disaster Financial Assistance (DFA), which is a provincial government program designed to assist homeowners, tenants, small business owners and farm owners with funds to cover uninsurable, essential losses to their properties. Who and what is covered, as well as details on how to apply for funding. BC Housing also provides information on subsidized housing programs available to RDN residents directly affected by a disaster.

If you have been evacuated or displaced due to a flood, there are support services available to you.

Canadian Red Cross – When evacuees or residents need support services, the Canadian Red Cross can help. If you have been affected by a disaster and require assistance the Canadian Red Cross provides food, shelter, clothing and essential supplies for up to 72 hours, call 1-888-800-6493.

Disaster Financial Assistance – After a disaster, the provincial government may be able to provide financial assistance to members of the community who have suffered essential uninsurable losses and damages to their business or residence. You may be eligible for DFA if you are a homeowner or residential tenant, small business owner or farm owner. 

Canadian Mental Health Association – Coping with unexpected emergencies is stressful. If you are in crisis or need help coping with a recent emergency, call 310-6789 (no area code required) to be connected to the BC Mental Health Support Line.

Virtual Mental Health Supports - Virtual services are available for British Columbians who are experiencing anxiety, depression or other mental health challenges.

BC Housing – If you are in need of housing assistance, whether it be finding a home, subsidized housing or rental assistance, BC Housing may be able to help. Visit BC Housing for more information or access the Emergency Support To Communities brochure.

BC211 – United Way BC’s long standing free confidential service connecting people to community resources. BC211 delivers information and referral services for community and government programs.

BC’s response to floods and mudslides - B.C. is taking action to help people, businesses and infrastructure recover from floods and mudslides.

HealthLink BC - Flooding can affect your health and safety in a number of ways. You may be required to evacuate if flooding is close to your home. HealthLink BC has provided resources for food safety, flooding and water qualify, health care for evacuees, dealing with stress and trauma, and more.

Ministry of Health: Information for owners of sewer systems in flooded areas is available here.

ServiceBC Support Line - 1-833-376-2452 Telephone for the Deaf: Dial 711

Video Relay Services (VRS) provides sign language interpretation free for registered deaf, hard of hearing or speech-impaired people.

Lines are open daily (translators available) from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. to answer questions related to:

• Emergency supports
• Disaster financial assistance
• Insurance
• Mental health support
• Road conditions and travel
• Employment Insurance
• Agriculture
• Hazardous goods
• Water quality
• Utilities

Returning to your home after a flood can be overwhelming. The RDN has prepared resources to help you take it one step at a time while prioritizing your health and safety.

Before re-entering your home, please refer to these resources:

• Guide to Flood Recovery (Canadian Red Cross)
• Clean Up After a Flood (Health Link BC)
• Flood Preparedness (Fortis BC)
• Sewage Systems and Flooding (Province of BC)
• What to do after a flood (Province of BC)

River levels are rising or expected to rise rapidly, but that no major flooding is expected. Minor flooding in low-lying areas is possible.

Government or agency awareness of a possible threat and monitoring of the situation increases. River levels are rising and will approach or may exceed bankfull. Flooding of areas adjacent to affected rivers may occur.

Public information when a threat is imminent and immediate measures to minimize or prevent damage to property and infrastructure are initiated. River levels have exceeded bankfull or will exceed bankfull imminently, and that flooding of areas adjacent to the rivers affected will result.

You can prevent or reduce flood damage to your home by building a sandbag dike. It takes two people about one hour to fill and place 100 sandbags, giving you a 1-x-20-foot wall.

Bags required per 100 linear feet of dike:

Height above dike	Bags required
1/3 metre	600
2/3 metre	2,000
1 metre	3,400

• Locate the sandbag dike on high ground as close as possible to your home.
• Dig a bonding trench, one sack deep by two sacks wide.
• Alternate the direction of sacks (e.g. bottom layer lengthwise with dike, next layer crosswise).
• Sacks should be approximately half-filled with clay, silt or sand.
• Tying or sewing of sacks is not necessary.
• Lap unfilled portion under next sack.
• Press firmly in place.

Below is a video that shows how to properly fill and place sandbags:

A limited supply of sandbags is available at the below RDN locations.

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RDN Fire Department

Coombs-Hilliers Firehall # 2

3241 Alberni Hwy

Coombs, BC

Sand and sandbags available. Please ring in advance to check availability and arrange pick up. 

Call firehall at 250-752-2144

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RDN Fire Department

Nanoose Bay Firehall 

2471 Nanoose Road

Nanoose Bay, BC

Sand and sandbags available. Please ring in advance to check availability and arrange pick up.

Call firehall at 250-468-7141

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RDN Transit Office

6300 Hammond Bay Road

Nanaimo, BC

Sandbags Only

Please call RDN Emergency Services at 250-390-6565 or Toll Free at 1-877-607-4111 to check availability and arrange pick up.

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Accessing sandbags from other local fire departments

For a full list of fire departments across the region, click here: Fire Departments | RDN 

Please note that volunteer fire departments are not always staffed. Please call the fire department closest to you to check availability and arrange pick up.