RMOW participating in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut Earthquake Drill on October 18

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September 28, 2012: Whistler, BC − Do you know what to do if your office, classroom or home starts shaking due to an earthquake?

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is participating in the Great BC ShakeOut Earthquake Drill on Thursday, October 18 at 10:18 a.m. This drill is aimed at increasing awareness and overall earthquake preparedness. According to the ShakeOut website, 15.3 million people have registered for 2012 ShakeOut earthquake drills worldwide, with over 452,000 people registered in British Columbia.

The RMOW encourages all residents and businesses to participate on October 18 and practice the Drop, Cover, and Hold On procedure at exactly 10:18 a.m.  Click here for information on how your family, business, organization, or school can participate in this drill.

In July 2012 the RMOW Emergency Program, which is responsible for developing and implementing plans and programs to protect the community during large-scale emergencies, completed a Hazard, Risk, and Vulnerability Assessment.  This report identifies 32 hazards in Whistler and recommends measures to increase the municipality’s preparedness regarding local hazards. Earthquakes are listed as one of the high risk hazards for the Whistler area in the report.

According to Gary Rogers, a seismologist for the Geological Survey of Canada, Whistler has a similar level of hazard to Christchurch, New Zealand, which experienced a damaging earthquake in February 2011. While Whistler’s risk is slightly less than that of Vancouver, it is still possible for a significant earthquake to occur in close proximity to Whistler.  As a result, Whistler residents and visitors need to know what to do in the event of an earthquake.

Emergency teams, who have been dispatched to the scene of disasters around the world continue to advocate use of the internationally recognized “Drop, Cover and Hold On” protocol to protect lives during earthquakes:

  • DROP to the ground (before the earthquake drops you!),
  • Take COVER by getting under a sturdy desk, table, or inside corner of a building, and
  • HOLD ON to it until the shaking stops.

These are general guidelines for most situations. Depending on where you are, (e.g. in bed, driving, in a park, etc.), you might take other actions. The main point is to try not to move and immediately protect yourself. Do not move to another location.

Earthquakes occur without any warning and may be so violent that you are knocked to the ground and cannot run or crawl. You will never know if the initial jolt will turn out to be the start of a large earthquake. You should Drop, Cover, and Hold On immediately!

To register to participate in the drill or find more information, visit: www.shakeoutbc.ca.

Resources:

About the Resort Municipality of Whistler

The Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) is Whistler’s local government led by an elected council and administered by an executive team and staff on behalf of 9,824 residents and two million annual visitors. The RMOW manages municipal planning and development, park and Village operations, sports facilities and recreation, public utilities and environmental services, bylaws and enforcement, fire rescue, fiscal planning and financial services, legislative services, human resources, communications and the administration of the Whistler2020 Comprehensive Sustainability Plan and Whistler’s Official Community Plan. The RMOW collaborates with in-resort and external partners to create visitor experiences and enrich community life.

Whistler’s vision is to be the premier mountain resort community as it moves toward sustainability. Whistler was the proud Host Mountain Resort for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

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