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HOW TO DEAL WITH AN EARTHQUAKE
By William Thomas
On October 20, 2016, more than 800,000 British Columbians participated in “ShakeOut BC” – the largest earthquake drill in Canadian history!
You don’t have to miss out. If you live on Canada’s west coast, turn on your radio or go online to join in the next Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill. On October 17, 2019 at 10:17 a.m., British Columbians will joins millions of folks shaking it out worldwide by practicing how to “Drop, Cover and Hold On” during an earthquake.
for the 2019 Great British Columbia ShakeOut
Shakeout BC says: “Participating is a great way for your family or organization to be prepared to survive and recover quickly from big earthquakes – wherever you live, work, or travel.
The Great British Columbia ShakeOut initiative is led by the BC Earthquake Alliance Society. "The Alliance works with members from emergency management, governments, science and on-profit organizations, and businesses to raise awareness of the risk of a major earthquake and promote earthquake preparedness across British Columbia."
A major earthquake is a completely unexpected, come-as-you-are event.
WHAT TO DO
"Drop! Cover! and Hold On!" is the most appropriate action to reduce injury and death during an earthquake. Hold this position for 60 seconds after the shaking has stopped for everything else to quit runnng around and collapsing.
INDOORS
Crouch in an inside corner. (If you’re taking it lying down, roll off the bed and under it.) Do not try and run to another room. Wait...
OUTDOORS
Move into the open away from buildings, street lights and overhead utility wires. Drop and cover your head and neck with your arms until the shaking stops. Wait...
DRIVING
Pull over to the side of the road, avoiding overpasses, bridges, trees and power lines. Turn off your vehicle and cover your head and neck with your arms. Wait…
A famous voyager once advised me:
Food in your lockers beats money in the bank.
12 ESSENTIALS FOR YOUR GULF ISLANDS EARTHQUAKE KIT
Water: at least two litres of water per person per day for a minimum one month. (Include smaller bottles that can be carried easily in case you have to evacuate.)
Food that won’t spoil, such as canned food with pop-top lids, energy bars and dried foods. Replace food and water once a year.
Feminine hygiene supplies
Toilet paper (for morale)
Crank or battery-powered flashlight(s) (extra batteries)
Crank or battery-powered radio (extra batteries)
First Aid kit with “normal” and big bandages, Ace bandage, antibiotic ointment, painkillers, etc.
Extra keys to your car and house. If there are doors left to lock and any passable roads.
Cash in $10s and $20s.
Phone (Without power, recharging will be problematic. Good luck finding a signal.)
Copy of your family’s emergency evacuation route and contact information.
As applicable: prescription medication, spare glasses, infant formula, equipment for people with disabilities. Also food, water and medication for your animals.
4 TOP POST-COLLAPSE BARTER ITEMS
Feminine hygiene supplies
Whiskey/other spirits
Cigarettes/tobacco
TP
(hat-tip to Dimitri Orlov)
You earn the right to hope for the best
by preparing for the worst.
CANADIAN FORCES TO THE RESCUE?
“Operation Panorama” is the six-month Canadian Forces response to a Pacific Coast earthquake. There is no urgency. Even with the Really Big One more than 340 years overdue, our military assesses the chances of a big quake within the next 10 years at 4.5% for Victoria and 2.5% for Vancouver.
Say again? What if this “we won’t be attacked now” assessment turns out to be, well… Pearl Harborish?
The good tidings are that regular forces posted to BC were moved to Edmonton when CFB Chilliwack was shuttered in the 1990s, so they will not become disaster victims themselves. The bad news is, they are no longer stationed here. When trained military help does arrive, intact roads, runways, ports and rail lines will be required to get these organized and disciplined rescuers to where they're most needed. The three staging areas are on Vancouver Island, the Lower Mainland and in the southern interior.
The Gulf Islands will not be a priority.
Until these unarmed Canadian Forces arrive, BC reservists can expect to be called up – if they are abe to respond. “Many CAF members in B.C. would be victims of the disaster and unable to assist in the relief response,” admits Esquimalt defence spokeswoman, Katelyn Moores.
“They’ll do what they can,” affirms John Selkirk, a retired lieutenant-colonel who heads Reserves 2000, a lobby group for the army reserves. “The problem is that the army has failed to keep the reserve units with a sufficient stock of things that they would need in those emergencies. They don’t have enough trucks. Right now they don’t even have radios. Units are using their own cellphones when they have to go out and do a tactical exercise somewhere, but in an earthquake half of the cell towers would fall down.”
“You could be totally cut off from the rest of Canada, even by air, if the runways are damaged,” Selkirk adds. “It could take a few days to get stuff there. If reserve units held stocks of what they might need, it would be a lot better.”
219-page plan for Operation Panorama
SIDEBARS:
Waiting For The Really Big One On The BC Coast
If You’re In The Gulf Islands During A Megaquake
How Big Is Really Big On Richter’s Scale?
Earthquake Highlights 2018 & July 2019