Attorney General
Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton 'dropped, covered and held on' along with more than 690,000 British Columbians during the Great British Columbia ShakeOut drill this morning, practicing how to stay safe during an earthquake.
Speaking at an event in North Vancouver, Anton noted the risk of a catastrophic earthquake for coastal B.C. is very real and urged British Columbians not to be complacent. Taking the time during ShakeOut BC to take part in the life-saving drill of 'drop, cover and hold-on' can be a critical first step for British Columbians and their families. By practicing the technique, it will help create a quicker and trained response when an actual earthquake occurs.
It is also important to look beyond the impacts of the initial earthquake and consider that, in the hours and days following a quake, it will be critical for families to be prepared with an emergency plan and an emergency kit.
British Columbia proclaimed Oct. 17, 2013 as ShakeOut BC day in recognition of the important role communities, workplaces and families play in promoting emergency preparedness.
(flickr.com) Quotes:
Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton -
"I urge every person living in coastal British Columbia to recognize the significant risk of an earthquake and to practice, plan and prepare. Practice what to do when an earthquake hits with the 'drop, cover and hold on' drill. Make an emergency plan for your family members so everyone knows what to do. And prepare to be able to survive on your own for at least 72 hours."
Bill Adams, vice-president, Western and Pacific, Insurance Bureau of Canada -
"The property and casualty insurance industry is a leader in building Canada's resilience to earthquake. We all benefit from developing a high level of preparedness when Canadians participate in drills like the Great BC ShakeOut. When you know the best way to respond, you reduce panic, think clearly and act quickly. Being prepared could save your life when the next big one hits."
Dave Cockle, president of the BC Earthquake Alliance and fire chief, Oak Bay -
"Earthquakes have serious physical, psychological, and financial impacts on the citizens of British Columbia. We all have critical roles to play in modelling, teaching, and promoting earthquake preparedness. We encourage all British Columbians to practise the annual Great BC ShakeOut 'drop, cover and hold-on' drill. Practising the drill and becoming familiarized with what to do when the shaking starts will help protect you and your family when an earthquake hits."
Quick Facts
- The Pacific Coast is the most earthquake-prone region of Canada. Although the numbers vary annually, more than one thousand earthquakes rumble beneath the surface of British Columbia every year - more than three a day on average. In the last 70 years, the offshore region to the west of Vancouver Island has had more than 100 earthquakes of magnitude five or greater. These could have caused damage had they been closer to communities.
- The Pacific plates are constantly moving relative to one another at speeds of about 2-10 cm/year (about how fast your fingernails grow).
- The plates can either slide past one another, collide, or move apart. British Columbia is one of the few areas in the world where all three of these types of plate movements take place.
- Since 2001, government has completed 133 school seismic projects and committed more than $4 billion to school capital and maintenance projects throughout British Columbia.
Learn More:
Learn more about the Great British Columbia ShakeOut: http://www.shakeoutbc.ca/
Learn about putting together an emergency plan and preparing an emergency kit, visit: www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/prevention-preparation.html
Follow Emergency Management BC's social media channels for emergency alerts and preparedness information at: www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca or on Twitter at: @EmergencyInfoBC and @EmergencyPrepBC
Check out Emergency Management BC's 'What's Under Your Desk' campaign in support of ShakeOut at: http://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/whats-under-your-desk.html
Learn more about B.C.'s earthquake activity: www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/index-eng.php?tpl_region=west
Contact:
Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961
BACKGROUNDER
"Practice makes perfect" - life-saving advice in an earthquake
Practicing helps you be ready to respond in the first life-saving seconds of shaking; when an earthquake strikes drop, cover and hold on:
- DROP down onto your hands and knees. This position protects you from falling but allows you to still move if necessary. If you are in a wheel chair, move to an inner wall if it's safe to do so, lock the brakes and cover your head.
- COVER your head and neck under a sturdy table or desk. If there is no shelter nearby, only then should you get down near an interior wall (or next to low-lying furniture that won't fall on you), and cover your head and neck with your arms and hands.
- HOLD ON to your shelter (or to your head and neck) until the shaking stops. Be prepared to move with your shelter if the shaking shifts it around.
Look around you for hazards like falling debris and shattered glass and shield yourself.
If you are inside a building when the shaking starts, you will not be able to move more than a few steps before dropping, covering and holding-on. Stay indoors until the shaking stops and then assess what to do next. New hazards, such as broken glass, gas leaks or downed power lines may be present. It may be safest to stay where you are.
If you are outdoors when the shaking starts, you should find a clear spot away from buildings, trees, streetlights and power lines, then drop, cover and hold on.
If you are driving, pull over to a clear location, stop and stay there with your seatbelt fastened until the shaking stops. Once the shaking stops, proceed with caution and avoid bridges or ramps that might have been damaged.
Expect aftershocks and remain vigilant. These secondary shockwaves can occur within the first minutes, hours, days or weeks and can cause additional damage to weakened structures.
Contact:
Ministry of Justice
Government Communications and Public Engagement
250 356-6961
