Lakeshore one step away from declaring flooding state of emergency

The Town of Lakeshore is one step away from declaring a full-blown state of emergency due to record-high water levels in Lake St. Clair.

Lakeshore is currently at a state of "Enhanced Activation," having placed emergency services on standby.

The town also convened its Municipal Emergency Control Group (MECG) a provincially mandated group of officials in charge of organizing Lakeshore's emergency response services.

Should Lakeshore's MECG deem it necessary, the town will elevate its emergency response level to "Full Activation" and declare a state of emergency.

Lakeshore said about 80,000 sandbags have been distributed to residents living on the water to date.

Some residents, like Darick Candido, said they've been gathering sandbags for three weeks.

"After the first big heavy northeast wind, we were out here the next day," said Candido, who has lived on Caille Avenure along the Lakeshore shoreline since 1994.

The Ontario Provincial Police's (OPP) Essex County auxiliary unit and the Lakeshore OPP Community Policing Committee will help residents fill and load sandbags Wednesday afternoon.