Extreme weather events (e.g., high winds, storm surges and floods) are causing damage to transportation routes necessary for health and environmental emergencies. In rural Nova Scotia, this issue is further complicated by the ageing demographics. In response, provincial-level officials are working with planners and managers who specialize in emergency response to develop strategies to reroute transportation lanes and update design standards to make sure climate change is considered in new projects. Locally, municipal authorities are utilizing flood maps to warn future developers of projected risks from storm surges and associated flooding. In Annapolis Royal, for example, flood maps identified that the town’s fire hall is at risk of being cut off from the rest of the community in the event of projected storm surge flooding. The fire department used this information to adapt their emergency response plan, which included purchasing a boat and redistributing rescue equipment throughout the community.
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