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EMERGEN PREPAREDNCEY WEEK MAY 2 SS –8, 2021
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CONNECTED FOR SAFETY
irst responders and public service agencies across the Capital Region are using a new, digital, public safety telecommunications system. Phased in over the past four years, this ‘next generation’ P25 system operated by CREST (Capital Region Emergency Service Telecommunications) is considered a world standard for emergency communications. Key features of the new system include: • Network migration to alldigital platform • Improved audio clarity and noise-cancelling technology to reduce background sounds • 30 transmission towers and more than 50 in-vehicle repeaters to improve coverage • Encryption capabilities to protect the privacy of the public when interacting with first responders. • Interoperability enabling seamless communication and coordination between allied agencies • Increased capacity to accommodate growth “The safety and security of everyone on the CREST network – our first responders and the citizens they serve and protect - is of paramount importance to us,” said Gord Horth, CREST General Manager. “The onset of the health pandemic has made working on the front lines much more complex and demanding. We are pleased to support these men and women with better tools.” The performance of the new CREST system is receiving high praise from its users including District of the Highlands Fire Chief Dean Ford. The topography of this rural municipality has made emergency communications very challenging in the past. “All areas of the district that have
NEVER had any emergency radio capabilities (even with the powerful truck-based radios) are now areas that we are able to communicate in with perfect clarity using only the small low power handheld radios.” The improved features on the new CREST system are making a difference. Saanich Police Chief Scott Green says the new system is like night and day from the former system. “Officers feel much safer and the coverage and reliability is much better on the new system.” “Working as emergency responders on an island presents a unique set of circumstances for us at CREST to overcome,” explained Horth. “Our island geography requires us to have strong, reliable public safety communications networks in both urban and rural settings. The new CREST system better supports our emergency service providers by enabling them to communicate seamlessly with partner agencies across the Capital Region when coordinating responses to critical incident events or a natural disaster. The new network allows for our emergency responders to back one another up across the region, as well as to receive or provide back up across south western BC as E-Comm (Emergency Communications BC) has also upgraded to a new P25 network.” CREST supports emergency response and public service agencies throughout the Capital Region including: police departments, fire departments, BC Emergency Health Services (BC Ambulance Service), BC Transit, University of Victoria security, Victoria International Airport, municipal bylaw departments, BC Conservation Service officers, and others. CREST complies with Health Canada’s Safety Code 6 (SC6), the federal regulations that
govern electromagnetic devices. CREST sites are lower emitters of electromagnetic energy than a personal cell phone, or a household microwave oven. Since only public safety users are on the CREST system, the amount of transmission air time is a fraction of the activity that commercial cell carriers generate through calls, texts, and on-line interest. Yet securing community support to install a communications tower in some communities can be difficult. There are still some rural areas in the region, particularly the Gulf Islands and the Pacific Rim, with gaps in coverage. Without this critical public safety infrastructure in place, service interruptions and dead zones will continue to challenge emergency responders working in these areas putting them and the public at risk. BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) front line paramedics who provide prehospital emergency health services in the southern Vancouver Island district would like to see a new tower on Salt Spring Island at Channel Ridge. “A tower in Channel Ridge will provide BCEHS significantly improved communications on the north western side of Salt Spring Island. This translates to improved safety of responding agencies in the event of a paramedic crew emergency, improves the ability to request additional resources for challenging patient conditions and situation, better coordination between allied agencies and improved crucial information flow to and from incident sites to our Dispatch Centres,” said Bradley Cameron, A/Director, Patient Care Delivery. CREST is currently exploring co-location opportunities with Rogers who are looking to bring cellular and wifi services to Salt Spring and the Pacific Rim. For more information: crest.ca
MAKE AN EMERGENCY PLAN Contact Information and Reunification Planning One of the most important things you can do is to plan how you will connect with your family in case of an emergency. An emergency can strike at any time, maybe while you are at home, work, school, driving or pursuing hobbies.
It is important to know where each family member will be, how you will communicate with each other and to have a reunification spot identified ahead of time. It is also important to know how to contact trusted information services.
PLANNING FOR YOU & YOUR FAMILY An emergency plan will help guide you and your family in case of an emergency. The plan should include: ■ Places to stay in case you cannot access your home, such as a friend or relative’s house, RV, boat or hotel.
■ Those who may rely on you for assistance: children, family members with special considerations, and pets.
■ Two routes, that everyone knows, to the reunification spot from where they live, work and play.
■ Arrangement for care and evacuation of pets and farm animals, especially if you are away when disaster strikes.
■ How you will communicate in case you and your family members are separated. ■ Contact people both in your local area and out-of-area. ■ Safe exit routes from your home and work. ■ Risks in the region. ■ Locations and proper use of important equipment such as fire extinguishers, gas and water valves, floor drain(s) and the electrical box.
■ Health information, such as allergies, necessary medication, equipment and contact details for doctor, pharmacy, and other important health providers. ■ A list of important contacts, vital documents, and small valuables to take with you if you are evacuated. ■ Insurance policies and photo or video documentation of home contents.
GRAB & GO BAGS BASIC SURVIVAL ■ Two small bottles of water, two energy bars, chewing gum ■ One week’s worth of prescription medication and copy of prescriptions ■ Extra pair of eye glasses, batteries for hearing aids, etc. ■ Emergency blanket (Mylar “space blanket“) ■ Emergency rain poncho or large plastic garbage bag ■ Whistle and dust mask (earthquakes can stir up thick clouds of dust) ■ Emergency radio/flashlight with extra batteries ■ Multi-tool/Swiss Army knife ■ Mini first aid kit – items such as pain tablets, eye drops, ointment, nitrite gloves, foil pack of water, etc. SECURITY, PEACE OF MIND ■ Photocopies or password-protected USB drive of important wallet contents and insurance policies ■ Key contacts list, cellphone and phone card ■ Notebook and pen or retractable pencil ■ Supply of cash in small bills and coins ■ Spare keys for home, car, other ■ Recent photos of family and pets ■ Book, cards, puzzles ■ Chargers and adaptors for cellphones and other electronics included in your grab & go bags
Tsunami Safety in the Capital Region TIMES COLONIST | timescolonist.com
ADVERTISING FEATURE
TUESDAY, MAY 4, 2021
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Tsunami for the C
various methods. These may include telephone/ email/text alert systems, sirens, social media channels, websites or door-to-door visits. Check PrepareYourself.ca to find out which systems your local government uses, and if there is an alert system you can subscribe to.
the event of a tsunami warning, local governments will ommunicate instructions using various methods. These may ■ It is important to remember that the waves will clude telephone/email/text alert systems, sirens, social continue to arrive for many hours after the initial rise and fall of the ocean level. edia channels, websites, media outlets, or door-to-door visits. ■ Stay tuned to local media for further instructions. (Have a battery-powered or wind-up radio in your grab & go bag).
■ DO NOT go back to tsunami hazard areas until instructed by local government officials. or wind-up radio in your grab & go bag).
o to PrepareYourself.ca to find out which systems your ■ In the event of a tsunami warning, local governments will communicate instructions using cal government uses, and if there is an alert system you n subscribe to. Section 1: BEFORE AN EMERGENCY
N
ational Emergency Preparedness Week is the perfect time for you to take action to ensure that you are prepared for any kind of emergency. This year, the theme is Emergency Preparedness: Be Ready for Anything - the intent is to encourage Canadians to take action to become better prepared for the range of emergencies they could face in their region. To learn more about the hazards in our region, check out PrepareYourself.ca. The good news is, you’re more prepared than X A tsunami is a you think!
of authorities. ■ DO NOT go near the water to watch.
Graphic Courtesy of PreparedBC
4m/ 13ft
O Drop, Cover and shaking has stopped X DO NOT call 911Hold unlessOn youuntil have athe life-threatening emergency
The shaking in th
Working to emergen Tsunami wa in the C
Brou Capital Regio THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER DURING AN EARTHQUAKE:
■ DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!), ■ Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk or table (or against a wall with your arms covering your head/neck), and ■ HOLD ON to your shelter and be prepared to move with it until the shaking stops.
HOME AND SHELTER-IN-PLACE KIT
and off phone lines as they will be in use by emergency O move tostay higher ground After a disaster, it’s best to remain in your own home if you can do so safely. You will need supplies for cooking, personnel.
making temporary repairs and providing comfort for your family. The emergency supplies should be kept separate from the things you normally use, to ensure they are available and in working order.
O stay tuned to local media for updates X Stay tuned to local media for further instructions. (Have a
SANITATION AND HAND-WASHING: tape, battery-powered or wind-up radio■ in your grab & go bagDuct and O follow the instructions of authorities lots of plastic garbage bags, emergency toilet
O
Flood Inundation Mapping Project report which contains new tsunami risk mapping information - to learn more and to read the report, please visit: crd.bc.ca/coastalflood
Waves may continue IF YOU ARE THE OCEAN forNEAR many hours – stay DURING AN EARTHQUAKE: away from the shore ■ DO move to higher ground once the until local government shaking stops. officials tell you it is safe ■ DO monitor local media. ■ DO follow the instructions to return.
Protect yourself during earthquakes
Tsunami waves may arrive for hours
Protect your
SIGN UP FOR VIC-ALERT A great way to make sure that you are notified of emergencies that may impact Victoria is by signing up for the City’s new emergency notification system Vic Alert powered by Alertable. Signing up for Vic-Alert is easy and can be done from your mobile phone, tablet, or computer. You can sign up to series of receive emergency notifications TSUNAMI MODELLING text message, email, or phone waves. The first bywave A tsunami along B.C.’s coast call, however, we do encourage tosomething arrivethat is weoftenresidents not the is rare but still to sign up for the app should all be prepared for.and For those to receive additional emergency largest, each wave visiting, living, or working in coastal notification information. To learn may be separated areas, you can better understand moreby and to register, check out your risk byup checking out the CRD’s Victoria.ca/VicAlert to an hour or more.
you are near the ocean and feel an earthquake that lasts 0 seconds or more, or makes it difficult to stand:
The shaking is your tsunami warning in the Capital Region
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EMERGEN PREPAREDNCEY WEEK MAY 2 SS –8, 2021
you are near the ocean and feel an earthquake that akes it difficult to stand, move to higher ground or inland IN THE A TSUNAMI mmediately. Do not waitEVENT for anOF official warning! tsunami is a series of waves. The first wave to arrive is often not the largest, and each wave may be separated by up to an hour or more. Waves may continue for many hours — stay away from the shore until local government officials tell you it is safe to return. ■ DO NOT call 911 unless you have a lifethreatening emergency and stay off phone lines as they will be in use by emergency personnel.
CITY
know your local radio, TV and trusted socialgloves, media kit, disposable outsidesources garbage can for disposal of waste bags, toilet paper, baby wipes, NOTofgo near the water to watch information.) liquid soap, alcohol-based hand sanitizer, potable
Emergency Preparedness: A Shared Responsibility
water and paper towels.
In the eventto of watch a tsunamifor warning, local governments willUP: Tarpaulins, ■ RESCUE, REPAIR AND CLEAN unami signs at the beach: nylon ropes, duct tape, plastic communicate instructions using various methods. Thesesheeting and/ or large garbage bags; axe, crowbar, hacksaw; may include alertaluminum systems, A sudden rise telephone/email/text or fall of ocean level shut-offsirens, wrench for gas meter; head lamp, work gloves, dust masks, coveralls, sturdy social media channels, websites or door-to-door visits. Check shoes, goggles, rags, non-permeable disposable A loud roaring noise coming fromgloves, the ocean www.PrepareYourself.ca to find out which systems your clean utility water (nonlocal drinkable), detergents, and large, clear plastic garbage bags government uses, and if there is an alert system you can Ground shaking for taping over broken windows. subscribe to. ■ HOUSEHOLD GENERATOR AND FUEL: Especially
for needs such aswaves refrigerated medication, is important to remember that tsunami will medical appliances and equipment, etc. Generators It is important to remember that the waves will continue to arrivemust never be operated in the house or other enclosed BASIC to arrive for hours after the ontinue rise and fall for many hours after the initial rise andspace. fallinitial of the ocean level. Generators may be a target for theft if ■ POTABLE (DRINKABLE) WATER: 4 litres per person left unattended. NOT back per day for go at least 7 days,to plustsunami water for pets.hazard areas until instructed by theDO ocean level.
local government ■ FOOD, EMERGENCY STOVEofficials. AND COOKING
EQUIPMENT: A variety of long-storing healthy foods that do not need refrigeration and are easy to prepare and eat under difficult conditions, such Prepare Yourself as nutritious canned food.
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■ HEALTH AND SAFETY: Home first aid kit and first aid manual; power failure lights for halls/stairwells; fire extinguishers. ■ COMMUNICATIONS: A landline phone that operates on a phone jack and does not require electrical power (corded phone) or an emergency radio (battery- or solar-powered, or wind-up). ■ HEAT, LIGHT AND WARMTH: Sleeping bags (much warmer than regular bedding, Mylar blankets, ground sheets or air mattresses, newspaper (for insulation); camping tent or tarpaulin and ropes (in case house is unsafe and there are no other alternatives); flashlights with lots of batteries, light sticks, battery-powered or solar lanterns.
Victoria Ready Emergency Preparedness Workshops Do you have what it takes to cope with a major emergency? Attend a free workshop to learn more about hazards that can impact the City of Victoria, emergency kits and supplies, and how to keep you and your family safe in the event of an emergency. For workshop dates and times, visit VictoriaReady.ca. Sign up for Vic-Alert Do you live, work or play in Victoria? Sign up for Vic-Alert, the City of Victoria’s emergency notification service. You’ll receive updates and helpful instructions by text, phone, email and mobile application about major emergencies that may impact you. Signing up for Vic-Alert is easy and free, and can be done from your mobile phone, tablet or computer. Sign up for VicAlert at VictoriaReady.ca. Volunteer with Victoria’s Emergency Support Services Communities come together during crisis to help one another. Individuals who are trained in emergency response can play a much greater role in the aftermath of a disaster. Visit VictoriaReady.ca for more information about our