Did you know that earthquakes are not the only way that tectonic plates move? Earthquakes are a quick, jarring motion causing a lot of friction and often destruction. So what’s a slow slip? And do slow slips contribute to increased earthquake activity? Below are 8 facts about slow slips:
Slow slips tend to be slower and quieter than earthquakes – a movement that doesn’t even show up on seismographs.
Slow slipping happens deep below the earth’s surface.
Slow slip sometimes only last a few days, but they can also last a few months.
Slow slips are thought to sometimes trigger earthquakes but this is not a proven fact. Seismologists tend to believe that a better understanding of slow slips might help provide better, earlier earthquake warning.
Some slow slip events have also been thought to relieve stress along a fault line, postponing an earthquake.
In the Pacific NorthWest (a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire), every 14 months thousands of tiny tremors indicate a slow slip.
Seismologists on Vancouver Island are tracking these regular slow slips and believe that these slow slips add extra stress onto the Cascadia Subduction Zone while they’re happening—a boundary that is already under a lot of tension. The concern is that a little extra pressure could (and will eventually) cause the rupture to trigger. This is what’s been termed “The Big One.”
A couple years back, Japanese seismologists released a study showing a correlation between every large earthquake and a slow slip that was happening at the same time.
All of the above facts are good reminders to empower yourself with the knowledge and products that make you prepared for emergencies. This means equipping your home with earthquake kits, and having a household plan. You might also want to keep a pair of shoes under your bed in case you’re asleep when a quake hits.
Although earthquake detection still comes down to a matter of seconds, those seconds can be life-savers! That’s why it’s not a bad idea to have a quake alarm detector and follow Environment Canada and other authorities on natural disasters, on social media.
If you want more tips on how to get prepared for emergencies, catch up on some of our other blog posts. Or send us a message through our Facebook Page!
Earlier in September, you may have heard of the large earthquake in Japan that caused multiple landslides, unfortunately killing at least nine people. Our hearts go out to their loved ones, along with any who were injured.
After a natural disaster such as this, for those who were in the area, life will never be the same. For the rest of the world, it’s another sobering reminder that earthquakes and landslides could happen at any time, especially if you live along the Pacific Ring of Fire.
You’ll also want to discuss safety steps with your family, in case you’re ever caught indoors or outdoors during a landslide. If you’re caught indoors…
Find cover indoors, as far away from the landslide as possible
Take cover underneath a strong piece of furniture such as a table
Hold on firmly, cover your neck and head, and stay still until all of the movement has stopped
If you’re caught outdoors…
Move as quickly as possible away from where you think the landslide is moving.
Stay as far away as possible. Do not return to the area until it is deemed safe by the authorities, to do so.
In general, knowing something about your local geology is a wise way to be aware of when the risk of landslides is high. And, similarly to other emergency preparedness practices, the more you communicate with your household about how you’re preparing and what your survival plan is, the better!
If you know of other resources for emergency preparedness, especially as regards landslides, we’d love to hear from you! Feel free to share a note on our Facebook page or shoot us an email!
For children, camping is often a magical experience. The highs (eg. swimming in the lake, eating outside and star-gazing) are incredibly high and the lows (eg. sneaking a midnight bathroom break while listening intently for dangerous, wild animals) are just what makes camping an adventure!
Without the weight of responsibility, children are free to enjoy the experience to its fullest and simply soak in the wonder of being alive and out in nature. Don’t you ever wish you could go back to being a kid again?
One of the thrills of camping—the way we see it—is that feeling that you’re learning something new and useful. A child’s perspective of the world we live in is so fresh. It’s where wonder and awe come from. The drive to explore and discover. That thirst to learn!
That’s why we think it’s important to be intentional about getting out in nature, taking time to explore and discover, and letting the adventure be your guide. Below are 5 suggestions of ways that you can use the adventure of camping to teach your kids about safety and survival basics:
Talk about wild animals that live in your region and discuss the safest ways to react if you come into contact with one. It’s also a good idea to talk through the importance of keeping a clean campsite and storing food properly. If possible, turn campsite clean-up into a game or a race after mealtime!
If you’re not vegetarian, teach your kids how to hunt or fish!
Teach your kids how to light a fire. Of course, this needs to come with a conversation about fire safety, and when and where it’s okay to light a fire.
Teach your kids some basic navigational skills such as using a compass, and keeping track of landmarks.
Let the kids help out with set-up and take-down. Pitching the tent may take a little longer, but you’ll end up building their self-reliance!
Camping is an opportunity for parents to bond with their kids free from the distractions of everyday life. It’s a special time to create lifelong memories, and the lessons learned in annual camping trips are lessons that will likely last a lifetime as well!
The confidence you’re fostering in your kids by letting them experience the fullness of camping, is priceless! And as long as you’re there to supervise, you’ll find that the work of teaching them when they’re young pays off when they get older.
If you haven’t been camping yet this summer—maybe it’s time to start planning your next adventure!
Have you been camping yet this summer? May long weekend is often the perfect first weekend of camping in the summer. Then it’s easy for June and July to get away from us and suddenly it’s August and we’re already trying not to think about the fall!
So, since it’s August, we hope that some of you out there are considering another camping venture before the summer is over.
We’re here today to remind you that camping is more than fun adventure, nature therapy, and family bonding time… all of which are fantastic reasons to camp in and of themselves! But camping can also be a great time to practice your “wilderness skills” and try out the products you’ve got stocked in your emergency preparedness kit! Have you always wondered what water tastes like directly from the lake? Bring along your LifeStraw Go water bottle! Worried about a bit of rain during your trip? Why not test your waterproof matches?
Even if you’re not planning on going far, or you’re staying at a campground with running water and flushing toilets in the bathrooms, you’ve got an opportunity to prepare for an emergency by ensuring that all of your supplies are in working order and have a healthy shelf life left. Just as importantly, you have the chance to make sure that in the event of an emergency you’re not wasting time trying to figure out how to use your supplies.
If you’ve been rendered homeless by a wildfire, an earthquake, a flood or a major storm and you’ve got only what you can carry for the next few days, you’ll be glad that you’re familiar with the supplies in your arms. It’ll help you remain calm and keep you thinking clearly. Who knows – if you’ve been camping enough, maybe it’ll feel like second nature!
Before you head out on your next camping adventure, why not bring along some items from your emergency kit and turn it into an emergency preparedness exercise? If you already know your supplies backwards and forwards, share what you know with the family members or friends that you’re camping with! If you’re going on a longer trip, it could also be a good time to add a couple new supplies to your kit – items such as the Scrubba Wash Bag. It’s the lightest weight washing “machine” in the world at only 5 ounces and helps you efficiently clean your clothes in just minutes!
Wherever you’re going camping this summer—whether it’s local or way out in the bush—we hope you get the adventure you’re looking for, and develop some emergency preparedness knowledge at the same time!
Backpacking is one of the best ways to enjoy the great outdoors. The fresh air, the exercise, and the immersion in nature have proven benefits to mental and physical health, but did you know that this fun outdoor pursuit is also one of the best ways to build an emergency kit?
If you’re not familiar with the term, backpacking is the act of traveling or hiking while carrying your possessions along for the ride! Whether your in the great Canadian wilderness, or cruising around the streets of Europe, it all counts!
I know what you’re thinking: “How can my vacation be a way to strengthen my emergency kit?”
WELL. One of the great things about backpacking is that you are completely self-sufficient. You carry your food, water (or water purifier), stove, fuel, sleeping supplies, etc on your back in a compact package. This requires you to put a lot of forethought into creating a super-light bag that won’t weigh you down, or keep you from being mobile, while still allowing you to survive in relative comfort.
You may have noticed that description also summarizes the perfect grab and go bag.
Working at Total Prepare, and being enthusiastic amateur backpackers, some members of our team have stocked up on emergency supplies for their summer adventures. When they’re at home, their backpacking bags and supplies stay together with their long term food and water storage as a shelter in place kit, but if they need to get out fast they know they have a complete, tried and tested, lightweight option ready for bugging out.
If you’ve been reading our blog lately, you’ll know that we dove a bit deeper into the aftermath situation of the January tsunami warning that was triggered all down Canada’s West coast by an early morning earthquake in Alaska. Specifically, in our last couple of posts, we’ve been talking about alert systems—where they’re useful and where they need to be improved. Because Total Prepare is a Canada-wide supplier of emergency gear, we decided to do a run-down across all of Canada’s provinces and see what all of us have in place provincially, as far as alert systems go.
If you live in a prairie province, check out our blog post here. If you live in Ontario or Quebec, check here, and if you live in one of Canada’s northern territories, keep reading!
In general, across Canada’s northern territories, some of the emergencies to be on guard against are floods, avalanches and landslides, wildfires in summer, as well as severe storms.
Yukon Territory
In September 2010, the Yukon government welcomed a new tool to their emergency preparedness arsenal. They got on board with Alert Ready – the national alert aggregation and dissemination system.
Additionally, three years ago the Yukon government put more than $1 million toward expanding emergency 911 services across the territory. The current 911 call centre, operated by the RCMP in partnership with the government, was upgraded with all of the new, necessary communications and support equipment.
The expansion of the 911 service is paramount, and as Chief Superintendent Peter Clark, Commanding Officer of RCMP Yukon said in the March 2015 press release, “[This step] improves community safety through dissemination of real-time information and the coordination of medical, fire and police responders.”
Check here to find more information on how alerts are broadcast by Alert Ready in the Yukon.
Northwest Territories
Meanwhile, in Canada’s gigantic northern expanse known as the Northwest Territories, Alert Ready is also the system that’s depended on to notify its citizens of emergencies in real-time. Back in September 2017, the government issued a live test of the NWT Alert Ready, and further testing is required.
As the most prominent alert system, Alert Ready is still in development mode, and is expected to reach full implementation in 2019. So it’s important that local communities and people even on the individual level are taking on the responsibility of being aware and staying in touch with what’s happening.
Nunavut
In 2012, Nunavut also signed on to use Alert Ready, even though many of its communities lack cell phone service. In part because of this limitation, the The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) in April 2017 directed all wireless service providers to implement a wireless public alerting system on their long-term evolution networks by April 2018.
This means that service providers are now working with their federal, provincial and territorial counterparts to develop an awareness campaign and test schedule.
According to the National Public Alerting System (NPAS), “This system will allow emergency management officials, such as fire marshals and police agencies, to warn Canadians on their mobile devices of dangers to life and Property. The alerts will be sent to mobile devices connected to LTE networks, which are available to over 97% of Canadians.”
For Nunavut in particular, this is an important step forward. You see, back in October 2011, a major satellite failure left the territory in a communications crisis. However, the legislative assembly television channel remained fully functional when all other communications channels were disrupted. This change means that the Government of Nunavut will be able to broadcast video, audio and text messages on the channel if emergency alerts can’t be distributed through any other means.
Room for Growth
In regions like Canada’s northern territories where populations are sparse, it’s paramount that communications methods and systems are in place, using as many channels as possible.
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important that we’re signed up for all alerts that are available, but also that we are taking personal initiative to check in regularly with channels that are disseminating emergency information.
As a part of this initiative, you might consider doing more of your own research into your region’s alert system, and sharing the knowledge with your friends. It’s also appropriate to be critical of the systems in place. Don’t be afraid to write to your government or more local authorities and share your thoughts on improvements that should be happening.
One of these improvements, as we see it, is the possibility for cell phone notifications from alert systems such as Alert Ready to break through the “sleep” or “night time” modes on cell phones and warn us despite our desire for restful night of sleep.
Not everyone feels the same way, however. In a CBC News article back in January, a professor of nursing at UBC was interviewed and she expressed her opinion that she doesn’t think the side effects of going through life sleep deprived (because of sleeping next to one’s phone) are worth it. Her suggestion? “Instead of focusing on text alerts, the province should be considering implementing emergency sirens — a practice that’s already in place for high-risk communities like Tofino and Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island, two communities in the province’s tsunami warning area.”
In the same article, B.C.’s executive director operations of emergency management Chris Duffy said, “There’s no silver bullet. We’re not going to get to the point where we hit a button and 4.2 million people are awake, alerted, and ready to go.” As of April 2018, smartphones will be the primary way that most of the population will be alerted about a natural disaster, through push alerts that could answer some of the concerns voiced after the January 2018 tsunami warning. But the alert only works if phones are turned on, and won’t necessarily make a sound if your phone is set to mute.
These steps forward are good to hear, but they also serve as a potent reminder that taking personal responsibility for your household and even your neighbourhood—this means gaining the knowledge and getting prepared—could be the difference between life and death.
In our previous blog post, we shared a breakdown on the January tsunami warning that occurred up and down the West Coast of British Columbia. Some communities were more prepared than others—but for every community, it was an important reminder to review the warning and communication systems in place and fill in the gaps that were brought to light by the experience.
Resources Currently Available in the Canadian Prairies
Across Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, tsunamis are not a major concern, but other natural disasters have these prairie provinces prioritizing emergency preparedness in other ways.
After BC’s tsunami warning in January, we feel it’s important to remind everyone to sign up for emergency alerts, national and provincial. Now we’re looking towards our inland neighbours, and at the warning systems they have in place. For all of you prairie folk who are on the alert for drought, wildfires, tornadoes and floods, please keep reading for a breakdown of the resources available to you in your regions. And remember, although Total Prepare’s physical store is on Vancouver Island, all of our emergency supplies are available to you online – including fully equipped survival kits, emergency food, camping gear and so much more!
In Alberta, a provincial alert system is in place through Alberta Emergency Management Agency (AEMA) that will send alerts directly to whichever devices you choose, via Twitter, Facebook or RSS. It’s also easy to get the app for your cellphone! It only takes a few moments of your day to sign up and could save your life and the lives of your loved ones in the case of an emergency!
Through this system, you’ll receive critical alerts for immediate and life-threatening danger, as well as informational alerts used for preparation, and test alerts which are always good practice. For any questions you need answered, check out their FAQ section here!
In 2015, Saskatchewan launched a new, province-wide alert system called SaskAlert. Not only does it provide real-time notifications and information about natural disasters, it warns community members of hazardous material spills, train derailments, significant highway closures and evacuations.
“SaskAlert can provide critical information about emergency situations as they are developing so residents of the affected area will be able to take action to protect themselves, their families and property,” said Jim Reiter, the government relations minister [as quoted by Global News, in April 2015].
Residents can receive alerts via smartphone, tv, radio and by checking online. And these alerts can be issued by Environment Canada, Government of Saskatchewan ministries, Crowns and agencies as well as participating local governing jurisdictions. Check out this page to learn how to sign up for their app!
Because this system is fairly new, it does require some more testing. One piece that does seem to be missing from this system is that it doesn’t include amber alerts. Perhaps it’s something that will be added in the future. For now, the more people who sign up for the alerts and get involved in emergency preparedness on a community level—voicing their concerns—the better!
Manitoba
Also in 2015, Manitoba started province-wide testing on an emergency alert system called Alert Ready (linked to the National alert system). At the start, it only worked with radio and television broadcasts (with the capability to override any other broadcasts in the event of life-threatening emergencies).
Much more recently, Alert Ready made life-threatening emergency alerts available via cell phones and other wireless devices, which was much needed. It still needs some work, but you can check if your phone is compatible here.
The fact that this system in particular is in-progress and needs work is an important reminder to take on the responsibility of emergency awareness and preparedness as an individual. Check the weather reports frequently and have your supplies ready! And if you can, share what you learn with your community, too!
Bringing it Home
Wherever in Canada you call home, we’d love to hear from you! Please check out our blog and our shop let us know if you have any questions about emergency preparedness plans or products—we’ll be happy to help you get totally prepared.
As home to Canada’s capital city, the province of Ontario might be looked to by some as a community that should have its act together in the emergency preparedness sector.
If you’ve read some of our most recent posts, you’ve read about AlertReady, Canada’s new nation wide public alerting system. Testing is starting this May! In Ontario and Quebec, residents will be receiving test alerts on May 7, with residents in most of the rest of Canada receiving test alerts on May 9.
As you can imagine, adding cellphones to a national standardized alert system should help inform residents more rapidly in times of crisis—and get everyone on the same page so that communities can work together towards survival. If you’re hoping to participate in the test on May 7 or May 9, it’s recommended that you test if your phone is capable of receiving alerts by visiting AlertReady before the test date.
The alert will appear as a text message but with a unique signal sound.
Alerts will be triggered by Amber Alerts, forest fires, natural disasters, terrorist attacks or severe weather.
If your smartphone is off, it will not be turned on by the alert.
Similar alerting systems have already been rolled out in other countries. Because it’s new to Canada, we will be have to be patient as emergency management researches best practices and continues optimizing the system.
Ontario in specific also has its own “Alert Ontario” system that covers three alert levels:
Red alerts for life-threatening situations: large fire or explosion, chemical leak or spill, nuclear emergency, transportation accident, floods, extreme weather alerts, pandemics
Amber alerts: endangered children
Emergency Information Advisories: providing Ontarians with information and recommended actions to take regarding current or evolving emergencies
In the event of a public emergency, Ontarians are advised to be prepared for at least 72 hours of self-reliance. This ideally means that you have an emergency kit ready to grab, along with a practiced household emergency plan (see what to include here).
If you live in Ontario, it’s a great idea to sign up for these localized alerts and emergency-related information notices. The more practice you have thinking through what you’d do in an emergency, the more prepared you’ll be. That’s why alert systems, even when they misfire in beta mode, are a good idea!
If you’re like some people across British Columbia’s west coast, on January 23rd, 2018, you woke up sometime much later than the haunting hours. After a quick morning scan of social media, you would have realized that you missed a life-threatening event while you slept!
For others—especially those living in Tofino, Haida Gwaii, Port Alberni, and other communities along the Juan de Fuca Strait and Vancouver Island’s northern east and west coasts—the night was more action-packed.
Just off the coast of Kodiak, Alaska, a 7.9 magnitude earthquake struck at about 1:30am Pacific Time. It immediately triggered a tsunami warning—that was cancelled approximately 3 hours later. But for those tense 3 hours, many coastal communities leapt into action, hoping for the best but expecting the worst.
Our Reaction & The Resources Currently Available
The tsunami scare really put BC’s emergency warning system and readiness protocol to the test.
The night of the earthquake, people in Kodiak, Alaska, were immediately directed to move to higher ground. In Vancouver, fire trucks drove through seaside communities honking their horns and issuing directions via loudspeakers.
Every individual who had previously signed up received an alert via the national AlertReady system, the National Tsunami Warning Centre, or another system. Unfortunately in Victoria, only 6,500 residents were signed up for the local VicAlert system before the tsunami. But firefighters were mustered and about to alert residents in at-risk areas when the danger was reported as over.
The Following Day, on January 24, a number of communities were already offering emergency preparedness workshops. For those living in Victoria, BC, where our Total Prepare shop is located, community members were invited to attend a free workshop at City Hall, “to learn about the hazards that can affect Victoria, what to include in your home and vehicle emergency kits, what you can do to protect your home from an earthquake, and how to reunite with your loved ones after a disaster.”
In Tofino, locals have been recently informed that the district will be testing its warning system monthly from here on out, instead of only twice a year, and in Haida Gwaii, the village of Masset tests its tsunami siren every single Tuesday at exactly 7pm, so when it rang out before dawn, community members knew to spring into action. Even though this community was impressively prepared, the warning was a useful way to practice the drill once more, with a more realistic mindset.
Can We as Individuals Do Better?
The answer to this question, no matter the context, is always yes! But how? Each of us make up a piece of our community. When disaster strikes, our community becomes our team, and we all know that teams are only as strong as our weakest link.
Spread the news. Share with our friends about the alert systems that we’re registered for. Talk about our emergency kits and what we’ve included in them. Add to them and update them regularly.
Take the next step and get emergency kits for our vehicles as well. (You never know where you’ll be when an emergency strikes!)
Sign up for provincial emergency alerts, and more local alerts as well. You can sign up to receive alerts via phone call, text, email & social media. The more you sign up for, the more prepared you’ll be!
Follow our local emergency preparedness organizations across all of our social media platforms.
As CBC News reported this past week, “From sirens to phone calls, texts or a door knock, each community in B.C. has its own emergency plan in the event of a tsunami — but there wasn’t one single message from one single source for last month’s warning.” So this is what our government will be working on improving as we each individually work on our own contributions. And as technology quick advances, it’s important to make use of the latest technology available.
What are Our Neighbours Across Canada Doing Better?
Canada’s provinces and territories can feel pretty isolated from each other. After all, we’re the world’s second largest country by area, with room for a square kilometre per 3.7 people. Crazy, right?
The point is, it’s easy to be ignorant about what our neighbouring provinces and territories are doing. But the fact is, there’s a lot we can learn from each other. (For example, That’s why, in our upcoming blog posts, we’re going to be sharing resources and action-plans from all of our Canadian neighbours.)
Whether you’re located in British Columbia or you’re a Canadian living outside of BC, stay tuned!
During the summer time, many people look forward to local races in their communities. Here in Victoria, BC, Mountain Equipment Co-op puts on a number of summer races and relays. We also have the annual Woman2Warrior race in August and the The Goose Relay & Ultra in early September.
Whether you’re preparing for a run, community race, a more competitive and record-breaking race or you’re simply going about your routine that includes running, we’ve got some safety tips for all you runners.
If you’re running on sidewalks:
Pretend you’re invisible. Never assume that drivers see you.
Run with proper ID and a cell phone, in case of an emergency.
Face traffic.
If you’re going to run with headphones, make sure the volume is turned down low enough for you to still hear what’s going on around you.
Be especially careful and watchful when running through or near parking lots or driveways.
Acknowledge drivers as you run. Make eye contact and give a polite wave so that the driver will be more inclined to be considerate of the next runner.
If you’re running at night, be extra cautious, wear running gear with reflective strips built in or a reflective vest.
If you’re running in trails…
Stay alert, even when you’re tired. Lift your feet, be light in your steps, focus on your form to avoid tripping.
Carry extra food and water if you’re on a long trail, in case you get lost and you end up running for longer than you anticipated.
Know your route, and carry a map just in case.
Tell someone where you’re going.
Avoid running alone.
Know the biggest dangers of the area. Is it people? Wildlife? Terrain?
Wear bright colours during hunting season. Make noise as you run and if you need to, carry protection.
Running can be a highly energizing experience and provides the best highs! It would be unfortunate to give up running because of the risks, so instead of giving up, know the risks and take action!
-Content created by Sophie Wooding – Writer, gardener, cyclist and emergency preparedness enthusiast!
