Annual drill urges British Columbians to prepare for earthquakes

Emergency planners are advising British Columbians to prepare for major earthquakes in the province, including practicing what they would do if a natural disaster strikes.

That's why the 1-Minute ShakeOut takes place every year on Thursday, October 17 at 10:17 a.m. local time. This exercise is organized in workplaces, schools and people's homes all over the world.

The program aims to prepare residents to face large earthquakes, especially in earthquake-prone areas such as the west coast of North America. In British Columbia, the drills come a little less than two weeks after a series of earthquakes were felt in Metro Vancouver and northern British Columbia

John Cassidy, a seismologist with Natural Resources Canada, said early preparedness is key in the province, which includes having an emergency kit and being aware of potential hazards like hanging lights or signs.

“It's a fine line. You don't want to scare people…but you want to remind people that very large earthquakes have happened here in the past and they will happen again in the future,” he told CBC News.

“Tectonic plates are still moving, as they have been for millions of years.”

In late August, the federal government announced that British Columbia's Earthquake Early Detection System had been activated, which would give the public a few seconds advance notice when a damaging earthquake is detected.

Alerts will be automatically sent to British Columbians via cellphones, radios and televisions seconds to tens of seconds before a strong shaking begins, giving people some time to “drop, hunker down and hold on.”

Six-year-old first grader Joseph Kim hides under his desk during an earthquake drill at Hollyburn Elementary School in West Vancouver, British Columbia, on Jan. 26, 2011. (Darryl Dyck/Canadian Press)

Cassidy said the system is deployed when strong earthquakes can be felt in an area — and the system already saw some use in mid-September to alert residents about a 6.4-magnitude earthquake south of Haida Gwaii.

Cassidy said that since most earthquakes occur within a certain distance, an alert could give officials enough time to take action such as preventing drivers from entering the tunnel or using the bridge, or preventing planes from landing.

Cassidy added that the system worked very well in Japan, where trains and cars were halted due to earthquake warnings.

A BC Ministry of Transportation spokesperson said officials regularly practice earthquake scenarios, and also regularly modify bridges and highways to ensure they are seismically sound.

Watch | What will happen in Vancouver when “The Big One” hits?

When the “big one” hits, what happens underneath Vancouver?

We've all been told to prepare for the “Big Quake” – a massive earthquake expected to bring devastation to the Lower Mainland. While the damage will be severe, not every part of the region will be hit the same way. Darius Mahdavi went out with some researchers who are creating detailed maps that identify risks at a more granular level. Preset key: emergency scheme

Communities that are more connected to each other and prepared for emergencies will recover faster, said Gillian Wong, an emergency management specialist with the Vancouver Emergency Management Agency.

“We often think of emergency preparedness as being about… having the right supplies and even a plan, which some people can feel is very daunting,” she said.

“But part of emergency preparedness is also connecting with your neighbors and building community.”

Watch | What new research reveals about the potentially devastating 'Big One':

A clearer picture of the 'big picture' is emerging in British Columbia – and it's not a good one

A new study of the Cascadia subduction zone stretching from California to Vancouver Island has revealed a smoother, flatter fault line off the coast of British Columbia that will one day cause an extremely violent and destructive earthquake and massive tsunami.

As part of emergency planning, Wong recommended that people have two emergency contacts — one within the province and one outside of it.

“What we've seen is that when things get chaotic in a disaster, our communications systems become overwhelmed,” she said. “So we encourage people to make that call outside of the county.”

In addition to being aware of potential dangers in their homes, Wong recommended people fill an emergency kit with essential documents, prescriptions, water and non-perishable food.

Are we ready for “The Big One”? CBC Vancouver's Fault Lines podcast series explores the potentially devastating effects of a massive earthquake expected to hit the west coast of North America. Hosted by CBC's Senior Meteorologist and Seismologist Joanna Wagstaffe, you can listen to Fault Lines now on Apple Podcasts and CBC Listen.

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