EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN

BC is due for “the Big One” …

Every seismic tremor in British Columbia brings a question: Is it the Big One? A U.S. scientist now says there's a 10-15% chance a mega-earthquake will strike in the next 50 years. A 9.0-magnitude earthquake will likely hit from southern B.C. to Oregon and could send a tsunami crashing into B.C.! 

The last major earthquake to hit British Columbia happened in June 1946. It had a magnitude of 7.3, making it the largest onshore earthquake in Canada's history. The Big One could have a magnitude greater than 9.0, powerful enough to radically alter the region's landscape. The last mega-earthquake struck the North Pacific Ocean in 1700. It was so powerful it pushed a tsunami across the North Pacific Ocean to Japan, where it hit with a height of nine metres.

I have heard this my entire life: “BC is due for ‘The Big One’” and it may or may not happen in my lifetime; but I would much rather have a great Earthquake Survival Kit ready to go and never use it, rather than being stranded for a week with no emergency supplies for me or my family. With the recent earthquake that shook south-western BC, it’s a great time to review – or start – your Emergency Preparedness Plan.

72 Hours: Is Your Family Prepared? Don’t wait; prepare today!

Disasters can strike any time, anywhere, so planning is key. If an emergency happens in your community, it may take emergency workers some time to reach you. You should be prepared to take care of yourself and your family for a minimum of 72 hours. Prepare for that possibility by visiting PreparedBC and taking a few simple steps. 

Know the risks

Earthquakes, floods, tsunamis and wildfires are just some of the disasters that could occur in British Columbia. Research the potential risks in your region and prepare accordingly. Learn more about disasters, including those triggered by natural hazards, technological hazards or conflict by using the Canadian Disaster Database. 

Make a plan

Your family may not be together when an emergency occurs. Plan how to meet or how to contact one another, and discuss what you would do in different situations. A family plan will help you cope with the stress of emergencies. 

Get an emergency kit

When disaster hits, there may not be time to collect emergency supplies. Ensure you have grab-and-go kits for your home, office and vehicle. They should all contain water and supplies for a minimum of 72 hours.

Household plan 

Emergency exits

Draw up a floor plan of your home that shows all possible exits from each room. Plan a main exit route and an alternate exit route from each room. If you live in an apartment, plan to use the stairs instead of the elevators. If you are unable to use the stairs, notify emergency personnel ahead of time. Also, identify an evacuation route from your neighbourhood in case you need to leave in a hurry (and think of more than one option).

Safe home instructions

Make sure you have a working carbon monoxide detector, smoke alarm, fire extinguisher and well-stocked first aid kit. If you live in an apartment, or if you are staying in a hotel, know where the fire alarms and at least two emergency exits are located.

Make sure you have a fire extinguisher on every level of your home, including one in your kitchen. Everyone in your home should know where to find the fire extinguishers. All capable adults and older children should know how to use it. See instructions regarding the lifetime of your fire extinguisher and check with your local fire department for more information. 

Older children and adults should know how to turn off your home's water, electricity and gas. Make large, easy-to-see signs for water and gas shut-offs as well as for the electrical panel.

Teach children how and when to dial 9-1-1 as well as how to call the designated out-of-town contact. Limit phone calls to urgent messages only. Keep calls short to free up the lines for others.

Meeting places

Identify safe places where everyone should meet if you cannot go home or you need to evacuate.

Connect with your neighbours

Following a disaster, the most immediate help will likely come from those around you – your neighbours. Connecting and building relationships with them today will mean a better response and faster recovery. Work with your neighbours to identify people who may need extra help during an emergency. To help make sure everyone is taken care of, assign “block buddies.” Write a note in your calendar to update this plan every January.

Make copies of important documents 

Make copies of birth and marriage certificates, passports, licences, wills, land deeds and insurance. Take photos of family members in case a lost persons record is created. Keep them in a safe place, both inside and outside your home. You might want to put them in a safety deposit box or give them to friends and family who live out of town. 

Workplace

Learn about the emergency evacuation plans in place and what you will need to do. You may want to have some basic supplies at work, such as water and food that won't spoil, in case you need to stay put for a while. Check  with your employer about workplace emergency plans, including fire alarms, emergency exits, meeting points, and designated safety personnel or floor wardens.

Children

Ask your children's school or daycare about their emergency policies. Find out how they will contact families during an emergency. Find out what type of authorization the school or daycare requires to release your children to a designated person if you can't pick them up.

Make sure the school or daycare has updated contact information for parents, caregivers and designated persons.

Plan for pets!

In case of an evacuation, remember that pets are not allowed in some public shelters or hotels. In case of an evacuation, prepare to take your pets with you to the home of a relative or friend, or take steps to identify pet-friendly hotels or pet boarding facilities in your area and further away from home.

Sign Up For Emergency Alerts

To receive tsunami email notifications, you can sign up via the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission or Text “follow NWS_NTWC” to 21212 to receive SMS alerts on your mobile phone. 

Emergency #Hashtag List

When disasters hit, people want to be part of the online conversation. #Hashtags can be used to connect and share information about emergency response both at home and around the world.

As a guide, Emergency Info BC has compiled a quick list of evolving, trending and most-used emergency hashtags in British Columbia. Our partners at the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure also oversee a list of the most popular hashtags for B.C. communities. 

Do you Know Your Tsunami Zone?

B.C.’s coastal communities have been divided into five “notification zones“. Know your zone in advance of a tsunami.  

15 Easy Steps to Emergency Preparedness

How to become Emergency Ready broken down into into 15 easy steps here. 

Emergency Preparedness for Seniors & People with Special Needs

Read an excellent article on helping seniors be prepared here.

We hope this collection of tips has helped inspire you to review your safety plans in the event of an emergency. We never know when the next emergency will strike, or where we’ll be, so it’s best to have plans in place to ensure that you and those you love will be safe. For those looking for a little added incentive, watch the BBC documentary – “MegaQuake Could Hit North America”.

Excerpts from:

http://emergencyready.ca/

http://www.epready.ca/blog/

http://www.shakeoutbc.ca/resources/

 https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/question/emergency-alerts/

http://www.getprepared.gc.ca/cnt/rsrcs/pblctns/yprprdnssgd/index-en.aspx

http://www.ctvnews.ca/pacific-northwest-at-risk-for-a-mega-earthquake-1.516808

What Can I Do to Reduce My Risk for Cancer?

The new European ‘Code Against Cancer’, launched this week, outlines 12 things that individuals can do to reduce their risk for cancer. Top of the list is tobacco, followed by healthy body weight, avoiding too much sun and alcohol, but there are also several new recommendations — about radon, breast-feeding, and hormone replacement therapy (HRT), and also about vaccinations and organized screening programs. The code was drawn up by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), the specialized cancer agency of the World Health Organization, with the participation of the European Commission.

Here are the 12 recommendations in point form, or you can read the full article at Code Against Cancer 2014

1)  Do not smoke or use any form of tobacco. 

2)  Make your home smoke-free. Support smoke-free policies in your workplace.

3)  Take action to maintain a healthy body weight.

4)  Be physically active in everyday life. Limit the time you spend sitting. 

5)  Have a healthy diet:
     Eat plenty of whole grains, pulses (legumes), vegetables and fruits.
     Limit high-calorie foods (foods high in sugar or fat) and avoid sugary drinks.
     Avoid processed meat; limit red meat and foods high in salt.

6)  If you drink alcohol of any type, limit your intake. Not drinking alcohol is better for cancer prevention.

7) Avoid too much sun, especially for children. Use sun protection. Do not use sunbeds.

8) In the workplace, protect yourself against cancer-causing substances by following health and safety instructions.

9) Find out if you are exposed to radiation from naturally high radon levels in your home. Take action to reduce high radon levels. For more information on Radon Gas in Canada

10) For women:
      Breastfeeding reduces the mother’s cancer risk. If you can, breastfeed your baby.
      Hormone replacement therapy [HRT] increases the risk of certain cancers. Limit use of HRT.

11) Ensure your children take part in vaccination programmes for: 

      Hepatitis B (for newborns).
      Human papillomavirus [HPV] (for girls).

12) Take part in yearly cancer screening programmes for:
       Bowel cancer (men and women)
       Breast and Cervical cancer (women).

  

More information on the risks associated with Radon Gas RADON GAS RISK IN VANCOUVER

Excerpts from: 

www.medscape.com

cancer-code-europe.iarc.en
www.healthlinkbc.ca/healthfiles

www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/radiation/radon

SUMMER’S HERE AND WE ALL NEED TO PAY ATTENTION AND STAY HYDRATED

The weatherman says the temperatures are going to get into the 30’s this week so we all need to drink plenty of fluids so we don’t get dehydrated. The Lower Mainland is blessed with gorgeous sunny days this month, but as the temperatures reach 30 degrees Celsius, we can easily become dehydrated. For many people, especially seniors, hot weather can be very dangerous and even deadly.  Hot weather can lead to body water loss, dehydration and heat stroke and more than 300 people die each year from heat-related illnesses. Studies show that most people, particularly seniors, do not drink enough fluids. They also may be taking medications such as diuretics for high blood pressure which cause additional fluid loss. A recent study of healthy retirees found 8% had moderate dehydration and 33% had chronic, mild dehydration.

Here’s a few pointers to stay safe in this unusually warm weather:

Keep Hydrated: The most important thing for seniors to do during hot weather is to keep hydrated. Drink plenty of fluids such as water but avoid diet sodas, coffee, tea and alcohol as they dehydrate the body even more.

Water is the best fluid replacer. Drink cool water because it’s absorbed faster and we’ll usually drink more of it because it’s more refreshing and tastes better. Try drinking fruit juice diluted with plain water or sparkling water for a refreshing lift. Drinks with electrolytes are an excellent option to keep our bodies strong and hydrated.

Eating water-rich foods such as watermelon, cantaloupe and grapes also supply valuable extra fluids.  Homemade fruit slushies are also good for hydration (but avoid the sugar-filled, commercially-prepared slushies like the ones you can find at 7-11). Try to eat as normally as you can, but eat more cold foods like salads and fruits. *Seniors who are on fluid restrictions or have epilepsy, heart, kidney or liver disease, or have problems with fluid retention should consult their physician before increasing their fluid intake.

Slow Down: Limit your strenuous activities and reschedule them to when the weather will be cooler.  If you must do strenuous activities, do them early in the morning before 8:00 am.  To prevent dehydration during prolonged physical activity when it is hot, consume fluids regularly during the activity and drink several glasses of water after the physical activity.

Stay Cool:  Cooling showers and baths can help keep your temperature down but avoid taking a cool shower immediately after coming in from the hot weather as it can result in hypothermia, especially for older adults. Splash your face and the back of your neck with cool water several times a day. Wear a loose, damp cotton cloth or scarf on the back of your neck and keep refreshing it in cold water throughout the day. 

Be aware of the symptoms of heat-related illness:

Heat Stroke (aka ‘sun stroke’) is an extremely serious, life-threatening situation. Symptoms to watch for include hot body temperature, dry or hot red skin, changes in consciousness, and vomiting. If you or someone you are caring for is suffering from Heat Stroke, you must immediately cool the body. Immerse the over-heated person in a cool bath (water should be cool to the touch, not freezing cold), or wrap wet sheets around the body and fan it.  Watch for signs of breathing difficulties. Keep the person lying down and continue to cool the body any way you can.  If the victim refuses water or is vomiting or there are changes in the level of consciousness, do not give anything to eat or drink and CALL 9-1-1 immediately.

Heat Exhaustion is caused by doing strenuous exercise or physical labour in the hot weather.  The person's face will be pale or flushed with heavy sweating and possibly nausea and dizziness. If someone you know is exhausted, has a headache or is exhibiting these signs, move them to a cool place and call 9-1-1.   Apply cool, wet cloths, fan the person and give them small amounts of cool water to drink slowly.

Heat Cramps are muscular cramps in the legs or abdomen that signal the body has lost electrolytes and fluids due to exposure to high heat and humidity.  Drink an electrolyte-enhanced drink like Gatorade or Powerade, or you can make your own.  Mix together in a tall glass: 2 squeezed Lemon halves, 2 squeezed Orange halves, a squirt of Honey, 4 shakes of Salt, and then fill the rest of the glass with cool water and enjoy. Other recipes can be found at http://tinyurl.com/8yqxehx 

PLEASE ALSO REMEMBER OUR PETS NEED TO STAY COOL AND HYDRATED TOO

  

Every year dogs suffer and die when their guardians make the mistake of leaving them in a parked car, even ‘just for a minute’.  On a 25° C (78° F) day, the temperature inside a parked car can soar to 38-48° C (100-120° F) degrees in just 5 minutes, and on a 30° C (90° F) degree day, the interior temperature can reach as high as 70° C (160° F) degrees in less than 10 minutes.

Parked Cars Are Deathtraps for Dogs!  Animals can sustain brain damage or even die from heatstroke in just 15 minutes.  Beating the heat is extra tough for dogs because they can only cool themselves down by panting and by sweating through their paw pads.

Watch for heatstroke symptoms such as: 

Restlessness, excessive thirst, thick saliva, heavy panting, lethargy, lack of appetite, dark tongue, rapid heartbeat, fever, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, and lack of coordination.  If a dog shows any of these symptoms, get him or her out of the heat, preferably into an air-conditioned vehicle, and then to a veterinarian immediately. 

If you are unable to transport the dog yourself, take him or her into an air-conditioned building if possible and call the BC SPCA Call Centre: 1-855-6BC-SPCA (1-855-622-7722); Tell them it is an emergency!

We hope this brief review of the benefits of hydration and risks associated with dehydration have been helpful. Be prepared, drink plenty of fluids and enjoy a safe and healthy summer.