British Columbia: Needs to be Aware

In following and reading updates on the tragedy in Haiti, a blogger posted a warning to those live on the coast of British Columbia.  I felt the need to share that blog with you, because I too am of the same opinion; in fact all of the western coast of North America.  It’s funny, I sit here in comfort, read and hear about tragedies like Haiti – other parts of the world; not inmy back yard and there is a sympathy that rises up in me, but I can’t say an empathy, because we here in Canada haven’t suffered any of these things.  In an earlier response to something I also shared that we’ve never known the ruins of war in Canada (though we’ve lost our loved ones fighting in wars in other parts of the world).  We, though, as a country, have never undergone any of these things – even though we are fringed by the United States….for some reason we have been spared these things.  But, I also sense that it won’t always be that way and am concerned that my own lackidasical attitude will leave me totally unprepared should something like this happen to me, to us here in Canada.  I can only speak for me and say that my sense and attitude is one of, “it’s happening out there…somewhere; how sad.”  And so, should tragedy strike will I be at a total loss as to what to do to survive – even for a day?

Certainly, I shall pay heed to this blogger’s message which I post below.  I’ve half-heartedly been paying attention (there must be something in me telling me to watch, to be prepared:  after all I’ve been receiving e-mail notifications on all earthquake activities for the past five years or so; I belong to a “survival site.”)  Perhaps it is time to do more than pay lip service to these warnings, more than just nodding my head a muttering, “Oh yes.  I’ll do that.” and then I do nothing.

Are you prepared should something strike that knocks out all services?  Like the article says – and we had a taste of it a few years ago in Canada with the ice storm – what good is your money in the bank if all services are down, no ABM access; no food supplies available?

Perhaps this is a good time to remind folks living in the Vancouver, the Island and the BC lower mainland of the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake threat in their neighborhood. The fault is further offshore than the Haiti fault but it’s expected to generate a quake 100 times greater in energy than the current Haiti event (9.0 verses 7.0).

BC likely won’t see the extreme devastation of mass collapse of substandard concrete block housing seen in Haiti, but there will be significant damage to many buildings, plus wide spread and extended loss of electricity, water suppy, nornal food supply and so on.

In a way our more complex society may even work against us. For example, what good will credit and debit cards be when trying to buy anything when the electricity and telecom driven networks that make the cards work are down?

A home disaster preparedness kit, including supplies to be on your own for at least 72 hours, should be an item tucked away in every Canadian home and in particular for those living in known major disaster event threat areas.