WE CAN DO BETTER
B.C. had quite a scare this week when a tsunami alert was issued at 1:30 on Tuesday morning, sending hundreds of people on the west coast of Vancouver Island to the safety of higher ground.
Fortunately, there was no tsunami and the warning was cancelled around 4:30 a.m. Although there was no imminent danger, the tsunami alert served a useful purpose. It was a real-life test of our emergency preparedness. And, although it wasn’t perfect, we passed.
In vulnerable communities like Tofino and Port Alberni, sirens were activated and evacuations were carried out in an orderly manner. Seismologists estimate that populations in low-lying areas would have a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes following a tsunami warning to get out of harm’s way. Tuesday’s trial run indicated that it can be done.
In Victoria, where the threat would likely be rising water levels rather than a devastating tidal wave, many residents slept through the event. However, subscriptions to Vic-Alert, a smartphone service that delivers information on imminent disasters, when or whether to evacuate, muster locations and so on, soared in the aftermath of the tsunami warning. The flaw of public service messages delivered via smartphone is the message won’t get through if the phone is on mute or turned off, but that failing is to be resolved in April with technology that can override the off switch.
Nevertheless, one criticism of the warning system is that better use could be made of social media in quickly advising those facing potential danger about what actions they need to take.
Another important lesson of this week’s magnitude-7.9 earthquake off the coast of Alaska is that the big one could happen at any time. Scientists say a nine-magnitude quake is likely at some point in the next 200 to 400 years and it would cause massive destruction. The last one of that size, the Cascadia temblor, was in 1700. We shouldn’t take too much comfort in that long time frame; it could happen tomorrow.
Perhaps the most vital take-away from this week’s excitement is that everyone living on the West Coast needs to have an earthquake kit. There’s plenty of information online about what to include, but a short list would be water, canned and packaged food, a can opener and a flashlight with extra batteries — enough supplies to ensure survival for a minimum of three days.
The bottom line is that the emergency warning system worked as it should, but we shouldn’t rest on our laurels. The system can always be improved and authorities at all levels of government have a responsibility to ensure that it’s the best that it can be.