Get Ready to Shake Out!

3 hours ago

2 min read

Alertable Earthquake test taking place this week

Thanksgiving is often a time for families to get together, enjoy a big meal and remember all we have to be thankful for.

This year, it's also a great time to remind your loved ones of everything they need to know in case of an earthquake.

The Great BC ShakeOut is happening again this week. At 10:15 a.m. on Thursday, October 15, everyone in the Village subscribed to the 'Alertable' app will receive a notification as a test of the system.

"We need to remember that earthquakes may not happen while you are at home," says Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Mary Brown. "Family members can be separated — at school, downtown, or in the car. And it's not just the ground and your home that get shaken. Earthquakes can knock out communications, electricity and water."

Brown, who is overseeing Lions Bay's version of this year's ShakeOut wants people to be prepared both at home or if they are away. For last year's event, Brown suggested that if residents were going to do one thing, they should make sure they had an old pair of shoes under their beds, to help protect feet from broken glass if an earthquake comes in the middle of the night.

And this year?

"It's really important for you to have a 'grab and go' bag in your car," Brown says. "While it is absolutely essential in case of an earthquake, for Lions Bay folks, it does double duty if there's an accident on the highway, and you get stuck out there for several hours."

Students in schools across the province will also be taking part; learning what actions to take in case an earthquake hits. Lions Bay School Vice Principal Jennifer Ohlhauser says that Village school children will be practicing their skills on Thursday morning.

Twice this summer, Lions Bay residents have rallied to raise funds at bake sales for earthquake recovery in both Venezuela and in Colombia. "Today a 7.7 magnitude earthquake hit Panama," says Brown. "It can happen anywhere."

So, this year, instead of talking politics while your family is sitting around the Thanksgiving dinner table, Brown wants you to make sure everyone is signed up for Alertable, has an old pair of shoes under the bed, and knows where to find the family 'grab and go' bag.

For more information, click the following links to read the Earthquake and Tsunami Preparedness Guide, to make an Emergency Plan, to build a home emergency kit and to learn about Canada's Earthquake Early Warning system.