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Is B.C. ready for the ‘Big One’? Q&A with Emergency Management B.C.

When large earthquakes happen around the world – such as the recent 7.8 magnitude earthquake in Nepal that has killed over 7,500 people and affected eight million others – we are reminded of the looming threat a massive earthquake poses on South West B.C.

Appropriately dubbed ‘The Big One’, the mega-thrust quake expected to hit the Cascadia Subduction Zone just west of Vancouver will be at least a magnitude-9, the largest earthquake in B.C. since 1700 when First Nations recorded the event into their oral history, and was later proven by Japanese seismologists. Scientists know that large earthquakes on the same fault occur roughly every 200 to 850 years, placing present day right in the middle of this window.

Earthquakes Canada predicts the epicenter will be about 150 km from Vancouver. Dr. Michael Bostock, a professor of earthquake seismology at the University of British Columbia confirmed the threat to B.C., but stressed that those in Metro Vancouver should not worry too much about a tsunami flooding our shores.

“The Lower Mainland isn’t at risk of a tsunami because by the time that wave weaves its way to Vancouver, it may only be a metre high,” he said.

But western Vancouver Island communities such as Port Alberni and Tofino could suffer the blunt impact of a large wave.

“Tsunamis move at 500 to 600 kilometres per hour. They may have 10 to 30 minutes to get to higher elevations.”

In Vancouver, the safest place to be may be the city proper. Bostock says shaking and damages will be the worst along the Fraser River and Delta because of the poorly consolidated sediment beneath those areas. The weak foundation will cause the shaking to create the process of liquefaction where the soil behaves as a liquid.

Another area where residents should be on alert is on the North Shore where an earthquake could cause landslides from the surrounding mountains into communities.

Pat Quealey, the Assistant Deputy Minister of Emergency Management BC knows all too well the hazard looming ahead of the province. Because the question of an earthquake is not so much an “if” but a “when”, he is ensuring the province is as prepared as possible for the Big One. Quealey was recently able to share some insight into how the government will respond to a damaging earthquake:

So let’s say there is a destructive earthquake that causes widespread damage across Vancouver. What would be the first steps taken to respond to the emergency?

Emergency Management BC (EMBC) would activate the provincial emergency management structure and establish communications through all means available. We would also activate the BC Earthquake Immediate Response Plan that defines the framework for decision making and coordination in the immediate response to save lives, sustain human life, minimize suffering, stabilize critical infrastructure and set the conditions for sustained response and recovery.

The province would declare a Provincial State of Emergency to enact extraordinary powers to coordinate support across the province. We would consolidate initial damage assessments and gain situational awareness from all levels of government and critical infrastructure owners, and in coordination with partners, would collaborate to develop a common understanding of the impacts and needs of the affected jurisdictions. From this point we would determine where to focus support to local authorities and begin moving resources into the region to support immediate response efforts.

How does the province plan on communicating with people in the case of emergency, taking into account the potential loss of electricity and cell towers?

One lesson that emerges out of almost every catastrophic disaster around the world is that communication is never sufficient in an emergency. We all want immediate details, although that’s often not feasible. We all rely on technology and electricity and traditional means of getting information into the hands of public, until those means are disrupted.

The BC Government has a robust team of government communications officers that, in a catastrophic emergency, would collaborate and collectively provide information updates via media, social media and online channels as available, as well as through local authority channels and amateur radio as required. We have business continuity plans for the Emergency Management system in BC which include back-up facilities in other regions of the province that should still have access to these channels of communication if they are downed or disrupted in Victoria.

Text messaging and social media are often times more reliable than telephones and cell service, in part, because they send small parcels of information. One way to stay connected is through our social media channels, including Twitter (@EmergencyInfoBC).

With the recent oil spill in Burrard Inlet, we saw conflicts over whose jurisdiction the response was in. How would the city, province, and federal governments work together in the case of a damaging earthquake?

Our guiding principles is based on cooperation and integration across all levels of government, and this would be especially important in a catastrophic event where unity of effort is key to success.

This would require the co-locating of decision makers, all levels of government, critical infrastructure owners and nongovernment organizations. Provincial Operations centers at the regional level, which are located around the province, would coordinate requests and help in the prioritization of resources to support local authorities in their response efforts. A central, provincial emergency operations centre in Victoria would serve as the main hub for information and work with regional, provincial, federal and international partners regarding the movement of resources into and throughout the region. Federal, provincial, regional and local staging areas would be activated to support a logistics movement system.

What is the worst case scenario and how would B.C. respond to it?

The worst case scenario for B.C. is a major, shallow earthquake beneath our major urban centers of either Vancouver or Victoria.‎ This is due to a number of factors: population density, significant infrastructure (including the B.C. legislature) and significant economic drivers like the Port of Metro Vancouver. A Cascadia Subduction Zone event (out in the ocean) will also be a catastrophic event, but as we have less population and infrastructure directly on our coast, as compared to our U.S. counterparts, ‎it is not considered our worst case. Saying this, EMBC’s earthquake planning will apply to any major seismic event impacting B.C. and can be tailored to support response focusing on Vancouver Island with a tsunami component.

Does our province currently have the capacity to manage an emergency situation where millions could be affected over a wide region, taking into account the possibility of a tsunami on top of a destructive earthquake?

Our success is based on cooperation between all levels of government and response agencies and our plans reflect cooperation and integration including support that will come from outside of B.C.

We know that the work of preparing for an emergency is never complete. We all have a responsibility to prepare as best we can and much has been done in B.C. to prepare, for instance:

• In our three-year strategic plan, Emergency Management BC describes its priorities to support the mitigation and management of emergencies in BC.
• An inter-agency B.C. Earthquake Planning Team is currently revising the immediate response plan that outlines very specific actions undertaken in a catastrophic earthquake.
• We have also created a logistics team that will be critical during and after the event, as well as an exercise and training team to help us prepare, and additional operational staff.
• We have invested in upgrades to the Provincial Emergency Notification System and are participating in the national broadcast alerting system to be implemented across Canada in 2016.

We also capitalize on the synergies provided by working collaboratively and in coordination with partner agencies:

• Funding support to SAR, Vancouver’s HUSAR and Ocean Networks for tsunami relating mapping.
• Agreements with neighboring jurisdictions like Washington State and Alberta, as well as agencies like Department of National Defence and the Canadian Red Cross to expedite help when and if needed.
• Created the B.C. Seismic Safety Council and Chair of the B.C. Tsunami Notification Networking Group, both inter-agency forums focusing on seismic mitigation and improving communication and tsunami response operations.

We work closely with local authorities and First Nations to help in their emergency plans and preparations, including:

• 25 tsunami information presentations throughout coastal B.C. last summer to help residents prepare and respond to earthquake risks.
• Developed the Community Emergency Plan Review Tool Kit to help local authorities assess their emergency plan.

What are some items every household should have in case of an emergency, and what are the first things people should do when they feel an earthquake?

When people feel shaking they need to immediately “Drop, Cover, Hold On”. Drop to the ground, take cover by getting under a sturdy table or desk, and hold on until the shaking stops. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, drop to the ground in an inside corner of the building and cover your head and neck with your hands and arms. Do not try to run to another room just to get under a table. Always wait several minutes after the shaking stops before coming out from under the protection of what is covering you; items that did not fall initially could be insecure and still fall, and aftershocks may continue and cause additional dangers.

Our first line of defence is to have a plan and an emergency kit to help us survive on our own for a minimum of 72 hours with the likelihood of needing to be self-sufficient for up to a week in a catastrophic event.

We’ve all heard that it takes water and food supplies, but there’s so much more to surviving emotionally as well. People forget a toothbrush and that the basics of ensuring hygiene and sanitation contribute deeply to coping psychologically. Likewise, children need to keep busy and comforted, so a deck of cards or a teddy bear can go a long way. Pets need supplies. Simply storing your camping gear near your emergency supplies helps ensure cooking and lodging and some of the other essentials are at hand. Having a spare pair of hiking boots is much more feasible than trying to walk home from work in heels, same as a spare pair of glasses or medications that you need considering you won’t have access to a pharmacy.

There is much to think about, yes, but the scope of planning shouldn’t paralyze us into inaction. The best foot forward begins with the ensuring basics and you can get a list of what to pack or purchase from Emergency Info B.C. or from www.getprepared.gc.ca.

Source: http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/05/is-bc-ready-for-the-big-one-earthquake-emergency-management-bc/

Earthquake would leave thousands homeless, says District of North Vancouver report

A powerful earthquake on the South Coast of B.C. could kill several hundred people, force thousands out of their homes for more than a year, and destroy many businesses — and that’s just in the District of North Vancouver, according to a new report.

The report lays out a sobering scenario, detailing what might happen if a 7.3-magnitude earthquake stuck in the centre of the Strait of Georgia.

It warns several hundred people could die in the quake, 2,000 would need immediate care, more than 1,300 people could be out of their homes for a year or more.

In addition to the shaking, land slides and liquefaction could occur, electricity and water service would be cut in half and some main roads would be left unusable. The quake alone could cost the district $3 billion in economic losses.

Are you prepared?

Mayor Richard Walton said the comprehensive study is meant to be a wake-up call and urges people to prepare emergency kits and grab-and-go bags, and think about what they might need after a major earthquake.

“Are you prepared with the simple basics, in terms of knowing where to go, having adequate food and water that may sustain you for a week?” he said.

“If it’s in winter and your source of heat goes out, do you have the flashlight batteries, do you have the candles? Simple things that [you would need] if you have to go back to a rudimentary lifestyle for a week.”

Even opening cans would be a problem for those that have switched to electric can openers, said Walton.

“I think the work we’re doing — we’ve got to do for the next five or ten years now — is to try and develop ways of increasing awareness and getting people to think, not only kids in schools, but now we’ve got to move out into the residential and business community, and get people prepared.”

Last week two earthquakes rattled British Columbia late Thursday and early Friday morning, but they didn’t cause any damage.

Then on Saturday a 7.8-magnitude earthquake shook Nepal, killing more than 5,000 and leaving tens of thousands homeless.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-would-leave-thousands-homeless-says-district-of-north-vancouver-report-1.3053709

Earthquake risk and school seismic upgrades in B.C.

There are 126 schools that are rated by the B.C. Ministry of Education as “high-risk” and vulnerable to damage and structural failure in the case of an earthquake.

A deadline to seismically upgrade schools had been set for 2020, but recently Education Minister Peter Fassbender has moved that deadline back between five and 10 years depending where you are in the province.

CBC mapped all the schools highlighted by the Ministry of Education’s seismic mitigation program against an earthquake risk map.

The data shows, for example, that only three schools in Richmond — which is at extreme earthquake risk — have been completed, while the majority of schools in the district are not in line for seismic upgrades.

Schools constructed since 1992 are not included in the map because they’re built to modern structural codes and do not require structural upgrades.

Source: B.C. Ministry of Education on seismic mitigation program as of January 2015; Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction’s earthquake risk tool.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/multimedia/earthquake-risk-and-school-seismic-upgrades-in-b-c-1.3051462

Earthquakes rattle West Coast and B.C. Interior

Two earthquakes rattled British Columbia late Thursday and early Friday morning, but they didn’t cause any damage.

The first quake, which measured 4.2 ML, struck just south of the border in Idaho around 10:43 p.m PT Thursday. It was felt in the Kootenay communities of Castlegar and Creston.

It was one of three small quakes in the area since Thursday night, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The second quake, which was measured as 6.1 ML by Earthquakes Canada (M6.2 by the USGS) struck in the ocean just off the southern tip of Haida Gwaii at 6:56 a.m. PT Friday.

The quake was felt on Haida Gwaii and along the North Coast, but there was no damage reported and no tsunami warning was issued.

The Haida Gwaii earthquake was near the junction of three of the earth’s tectonic plates, where earthquakes are common. As recently as Tuesday, a 3.6 ML earthquake was reported in the same region.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquakes-rattle-west-coast-and-b-c-interior-1.3047357

Rethinking Seismic

WorkSafe Technologies’ ISO-Base Platforms Provide A Safe, Simple Alternative To Anchoring & Bolting Equipment

It doesn’t take a big earthquake to cause a lot of damage. In fact, that’s one of the misconceptions about the Richter Scale, says Don Hubbard, owner of WorkSafe Technologies.

“The concern is what the energy in the ground can do to your building.” During an earthquake, that energy has to go somewhere. “If your equipment is bolted, the energy is going to go right into your racks and shake the daylights out of the system.”

WorkSafe got its start in seismic protection by bolting and bracing equipment, which is what many data centers still do today. “We realized that wasn’t good enough,” Hubbard says, so WorkSafe developed the idea of using isolation on equipment. Today, the company’s ISO-Base seismic isolation platforms are installed in 26 countries, protecting more than $200 billion worth of equipment.

ISO-Base works using a patented Ball-N-ConeTM bearing that consists of two plates with matching conical recesses sandwiched over a steel ball bearing. In the event of an earthquake, the platform rolls smoothly and evenly and then re-centers once shaking or vibration has stopped.

The ISO-Base platform works with server racks and cabinets, storage units, and virtually any sensitive or valuable equipment. The modular product can accommodate almost any setup, and multiple ISO-Base platforms can be connected with tubing, easily accommodating data centers with hot-aisle/cold-aisle layouts. The open frame design allows room for cooling tubes, air circulation, and cable management.

“People still bolt things down,” Hubbard says. “But if they have to move a cabinet, it’ll get undone and never put back in place.” ISO-Base platforms don’t require bolting, anchoring, or drilling, making them easy to reconfigure and redeploy.

WorkSafe Technologies ISO-Base

Source: http://www.processor.com/article/16979/rethinking-seismic

Earthquake preparedness everyone’s responsibility, B.C. minister says

On the heels of a study finding that a large seismic event could be building on a fault line near the Haida Gwaii, the province’s Attorney General insists earthquake preparedness falls to everyone.

Suzanne Anton says the province’s role is to coordinate, and they’re doing well in making improvements.

When asked about buildings not seismically sound in B.C., including the Legislature and many schools, Anton brings it back to residents.

“Infrastructure is one of the many pieces we have to think about … whether or not we’re ready for the “big one” in British Columbia. In many ways, we are, but it’s back to the individual responsibility. Every home needs to be ready.”

Anton says clearly earthquakes are a big issue and the government takes their coordination role seriously.

“One of the immediate things we have done recently is upgrade our notification system so, for example, were there to be an earthquake in Haida Gwaii or any other area along the coast, we’re able to target our notifications very quickly to … the communities affected.”

The province came under fire when another study found a lack of provincial action and funding are hampering earthquake preparedness.

Source: http://www.cknw.com/2015/04/07/71043/

‘It is going to happen’: South of Haida Gwaii likely location of future earthquake

VANCOUVER — Experts studying the second-biggest earthquake measured in Canadian history have zeroed in on the Pacific archipelago of Haida Gwaii as the likely source of a future large quake and tsunami.

The earthquake off British Columbia’s coast in October 2012 relieved some of the region’s tectonic strain, but new research shows the shifting also increased pressure immediately south of the islands along the Queen Charlotte Fault.

“What this has done in essence is raise the possibility of future thrust earthquakes and tsunamis along this part of the British Columbia margin,” said Thomas James, a researcher with the Geological Survey of Canada.

James is one of the lead authors of a compendium of studies analyzing various facets of the recent earthquake, most of which were published Monday in the Bulletin of the Seismological Society of America.

The Pacific and North American tectonic plates mostly slide along one another, but where those plates meet at certain points along the Queen Charlotte Fault they also push against each other, he explained.

The release of that pushing pressure gave rise to the thrust earthquake of 2012.

This type of earthquake is “unusual and to a certain degree unexpected” for the region, added James.

“Any large earthquake can generate a tsunami but thrust earthquakes are especially effective.”

The scientists’ findings were revealed shortly after the provincial government released a consultation report that found B.C. is falling behind on earthquake preparedness.

The absence of major seismic activity near densely populated areas has contributed to a culture of public apathy and resulted in government diverting resources away from emergency management agencies, concluded the report prepared by American consultant Henry Renteria.

“The problem when you are living in earthquake country is that an earthquake is inevitable,” said Renteria in an interview.

“It is going to happen — it’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.”

Renteria spoke critically of significant cutbacks and staffing shortages suffered by the province’s lead agencies responsible for earthquake and disaster management over the past 20 years, adding that the impact “is beginning to show.”

The report also highlighted the role of members of the public in contingency planning.

The minister responsible for Emergency Management B.C., Suzanne Anton, was unavailable for comment but the ministry issued a news release regarding the report saying: “The Province will continue taking significant strides toward improving disaster preparedness in B.C.”

While the Haida Gwaii earthquake of 2012 caused little structural damage and no serious injuries, in large part thanks to its remoteness, the region experienced tsunami run-up of up to 13 metres. Some of the land also reportedly shifted a full metre from its original location.

“I was quite amazed at the emotional trauma,” said seismologist Alison Bird, who travelled to the archipelago to drop off scientific equipment and interview residents.

“Some people felt it but they weren’t really all that bothered by it. Other people were quiet shaken up, figuratively and literally.”

Bird recalled being approached by a “burly, lumberjack fellow” close to tears who couldn’t stand the rumblings of the aftershocks, thousands of which could be felt in the weeks following the main event.

He would sleep with the radio on so he couldn’t hear the noise, she said.

While the timeline is uncertain, researchers say B.C. is due for a powerful megathrust earthquake — popularly described as the Big One — which is forecast to impact more populated regions of the province.

Source: http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/it-is-going-to-happen-south-of-haida-gwaii-likely-location-of-future-earthquake-1.2314666

Major effort needed to reverse apathy about earthquake planning in B.C.: report

All levels of society must work to reverse a deep-seated apathy to earthquake preparedness in B.C., according to a report commissioned by the B.C. government.

Ottawa and Victoria need to give more money and more authority to Emergency Management B.C. and local governments so they can fulfil their responsibility to prepare for what scientists say is an inevitable major quake, said the report released Thursday. And more money and staff are needed for a long-term, sustained public education campaign.

“On the whole, British Columbians, and the majority of their institutions, have either not made earthquake preparedness a priority, or have been unable to make significant progress on addressing this issue,” said the report, written by Henry Renteria, former head of California’s Office of Emergency Services.

He was appointed a year ago to consult the public and governments on the issue.

Renteria noted that his findings are consistent with a provincial auditor general’s report released in March 2014, and added that “the majority of the preparedness gaps and recommendations outlined in previous reports appear to remain valid today.”

The auditor general had warned: “Given the province’s current level of preparedness, a sustained commitment . . . is needed if we are going to minimize the loss of life and other devastating impacts expected from a catastrophic earthquake.”

The Ministry of Justice issued a news release Thursday insisting it is taking “significant strides toward improving disaster preparedness in B.C.”

The province cited, in part, a recent upgrade to the Provincial Emergency Notification System to get tsunami notifications faster to emergency managers in B.C.’s coastal communities and media so that citizens can be alerted.

This spring, the province will study the 911 service, including a look at emerging communications technologies, and will launch a public education campaign to “inform and empower” residents to be prepared for emergencies and disasters.

Ocean Networks Canada will receive $50,000 to support research for tsunami mapping to assist long-term planning in vulnerable communities.

Other recommendations of the Renteria report:

– The province must get the private sector involved in emergency management planning, including setting out legal requirements.

– There needs to be better analysis of structures and areas at risk in an earthquake by the province, local authorities, the private sector, First Nations and the public.

– There must be more spending on improving ways to communicate with the public in an emergency, including 911 improvements.

– There must be a higher emphasis, including money, on preparing urban search and rescue teams, and setting up systems to allow for rapid damage assessment.

Source: http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Changes+needed+reverse+apathy+earthquake+preparedness+report/10922967/story.html

Earthquake hits off Vancouver Island coast

An earthquake hit about 150 kilometres south of Port Hardy, B.C. just after the lunch hour on Wednesday — but it was far enough out in the ocean that it likely didn’t so much as rattle dishes on land.

The quake measured 4.9 magnitude, which is considered relatively light, however, that number often changes upon review.

No damage or injuries have been reported as a result of today’s quake, according to Earthquakes Canada.

Anything between 2.5 and 5.4 can be felt but almost always cause only minor damage.

There are about 30,000 similar earthquakes felt worldwide every year and coastal North America is a hotspot.

Source: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/earthquake-hits-off-vancouver-island-coast-1.3009499