Always Aware. Always Prepared: Where To Go After an Earthquake
In this week’s edition of ‘Always Aware. Always Prepared’ we will cover where you can go in the event of an earthquake if you are required to evacuate your home due to damage, or other risks. In an emergency, you may need to:
- Evacuate your home/neighbourhood or,
- Stay where you are and shelter-in-place.
Municipalities in British Columbia, and in other regions, have pre-identified Safe Buildings that would be available if you are required to evacuate. Safe Buildings, also known as Reception Centres, are setup by local Emergency Support Services and local government to provide temporary support and safe gathering places for residents who may be required to evacuate their homes after a disaster.
Your municipality may issue an evacuation alert followed by an evacuation order if the impact or threat of the emergency is severe enough. You may be notified by officials at your door, social media, radio/television broadcasts, or first responders through a loudspeaker.
Safe buildings may include school gymnasiums and community centres. In many cases, the various Safe Buildings identified have been listed on the respective Municipality’s website. Others indicate the list would be published and broadcast after an emergency. A list of Safe Buildings in BC has been compiled by FOCUS Canada and is available here.
To learn more about your local Municipal plan including Safe Buildings, Emergency Routes, and Economic Recovery, visit your Local Authority’s Emergency Management Website. A partial list of websites is included below. We encourage all members of the Jamat to be familiar with their local Municipal Emergency Plan.
Selected Local Authority Emergency Management Websites:
