Ready to rough it? 7-days preparedness for Sooke

Published in MapleLine Magazine: Feb.3, 2010

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by Mary P. Brooke

The "big one" -- the earthquake that everyone hears about -- will come. “The sooner it comes, the better. The longer we wait the more (tectonic) pressure that builds up,” says George OBriain, Emergency Coordinator, Juan de Fuca (JdF) Electoral Area. It’s been 300 years since the last ‘big one’ (Jan. 26, 1700); the next one to come in 400 to 700 years.

The pressure is also building socially and fiscally. A huge investment is being made by individuals, organizations and governments to prepare for the eventuality of a big land upheaval. According to Bill Hadikin, Emergency Operations Centre Coordinator, District of Sooke, the big one will also result in a tsunami that will have “some impact on Whiffen Spit, Billings Spit, Sooke River Road areas, Goodmere Road, and any narrrow channels on the East Sooke side; most sizeable tsunami strength would be dissipated at the Harbour’s entrance, the farm at SilverSpray, and Tideview Road”.

“The 72-hour preparedness information is a minimum recommended guideline, as most Emergency Response Teams are expected to be mobilized within 72 hours to begin re-establishing infrastructure and services,” says Hadikin. “The 7-day recommendation for Sooke is common to all communities that have a single lifeline relating to roads, power, water and other infrastructure that may preclude the initial responders from accessing the area as a whole,” he said. The Sooke Emergency Plan has been developed for various situations with defined responses including interface fire, tsunami, earthquake, flooding, terrorism, road and infrastructure failure.

Sooke’s initial reception centre is the Sooke Community Hall which has an emergency generator. The Royal Canadian Legion would be brought into the picture, as well as local churches. Schools may be considered in the long run but (without equipment or generators) may be used more for staging areas than as evacuation centres, said Hadikin, who is working with OBriain to merge the District of Sooke’s emergency response system with that of JdF whose reception centre is Journey Middle School.

The BC government recently reduced funding for emergency training so there will soon be more inter-municipal agency training, to offset the costs of trainers, said Hadikin.

OBriain stressed the importance of people getting involved in training “long before they are needed”. Training meetings are held on the first Tuesday of each month at 7 pm, in the classroom beside the bottle recycle depot on Idlemore Rd. “Bring your experience,” says OBriain. Everything from housekeeping to building bridges is needed on the team. Sign up soon and be involved regularly. “Walk-in volunteers at the last minute only tie up the coordinators with training, distracting them from the emergency at hand.”

Households can make sure they have the official green <we’re OK> and red <we need HELP> signs, or make their own. Maintain two emergency preparedness kits* – one in your house and the other in your car. MM

Emergency Kit Preparation lists are available at: www.getprepared.gc.ca .

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This article was published on page 23 in the print edition of MapleLine Magazine (Winter-Spring 2010 issue / Feb-Apr.2010).