Tsunami Smart
Tsunami Smart
British Columbia is an incredible province to visit or call home. With so much variety and opportunity comes a need for preparedness at the personal and community level, especially along the coast.
One such hazard to prepare for is Tsunami. Did you know that Search and Rescue volunteers will likely be requested to assist in the response to a damaging Tsunami in B.C.? Much like the Wildfires last summer there are a number of roles that the volunteers might assist with including evacuations, locating missing persons, and rescuing stranded people.
Similar to the information within the AdventureSmart.ca program for safety in the outdoors there are steps you can take to be safe should a Tsunami occur, reducing the need for rescue.
-know the risk; is your home or place of work within a Tsunami Zone? Check out the notification zones on the Emergency Management B.C. website below, know the zone so that if a Tsunami alert is issued you know whether it applies to you. Check with your local authority, many have detailed maps showing areas which could be impacted.
-Have a plan; where would you go should a Tsunami warning be issued for your area or you feel a strong earthquake? Remember, go to high ground after strong sustained shaking occurs, do not wait for a warning as there may not be enough time for one to be issued. This is important regardless of which zone you are in, Tsunamis are possible even in areas not at high risk from a off shore earthquake. How will you get to high ground? Driving is not always an option, traffic may block roads or roads maybe damaged; think about where you can get to by foot.
-Keep a emergency kit; having a large kit at home with all the essentials to keep you and your loved ones well for at least 3 days is great, how about a ‘grab and go’ pack that you can keep handy to take with you if you have to evacuate? The essentials are the same for outdoor safety, making a pack multi-use!
For more information on being Tsunami Smart: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/embc/preparedbc/2015_earthquake_tsunami_smartmanual_v07.pdf http://coastsmart.ca/hazards/tsunami/
For information on Tsunami risk zones and levels of Tsunami Alerts: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/emergency-preparedness-response-recovery/preparedbc/know-the-risks/tsunamis
For more information on outdoor safety: www.adventuresmart.ca
For more information on Search and Rescue: www.bcsara.com , www.embc-air.org , www.rcmsar.com