Archive: News

What Happened? 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 … Read More →

West coast residents spent an anxious night as a tsunami warning was issued following a 7.9 earthquake in the Gulf of Alaska.  Some areas were evacuated, other areas were on alert and after several anxious hours the tsunami watch was lifted, and everyone was able to breath a sign of relief! Some people had a plan and when the tsunami siren sounded, they were able to grab their evacuation kit and head to their designated … Read More →

Running Summer Races 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 … Read More →

With the calamitous wildfires taking place in British Columbia, especially in the 100 Mile House, Ashcroft, and Cache Creek areas, it is more important than ever for Canadians to be prepared for evacuation. With longer, hotter summers making huge wildfires the new normal here are some things that you and your family can do to increase your wildfire preparedness. Talk to Your Loved Ones Communication is key when it comes to preparing for any emergency. … Read More →

Cycling Safely If you ride your bike as part of your regular commute, you’re already aware of the many dangers that can come along with it… If you’re riding your bike in the dark, consider your visibility so that people driving vehicles can see you. You can never have too many bike lights — sometimes flashing ones are the best call – and you can even wear a visibility vest to protect yourself further. If … Read More →

Staying Safe as Play Time Heats Up As temperatures rise, it’s easy to forget about the risks and simply bask in the joy of waking up to sunny mornings and stepping outside without grabbing a jacket or close-toed shoes. But with the glorious times comes an element of danger as well. And it’s especially important to take precautions if you have kids. Why not create a summer safety kit? This way, you can plan ahead … Read More →

Free Swimming One of the best feelings in the world is your first dip of the season, in the river, lake or ocean of your choice. The smell of the water, and the cool water washing away the grime and anxieties of your week—make for an experience that’s hard to compare to anything else! If someone told you that you could never swim in anything but a pool, for the rest of your life, you’d … Read More →

Going Fishing If you’re an early riser even when you don’t have to be at work, fishing might be the summer activity for you! And if you don’t suffer from seasickness and find the rocking of a boat hypnotizing while you read or study the ripples on a lake’s surface, it might even be one of your new favourite activities! If you’re a newbie fisherman, you might want to consider these safety tips before embarking … Read More →

Part 1, Ocean Kayaking On a hot summer day, there’s nothing more enticing than an evening on the water. If you’ve been ocean kayaking before, you know the magic of gliding over soft ocean swells during a quiet, colourful sunset. If you haven’t been ocean kayaking before, it’s worth trying out! Take some time to get to know the basic kayaking safety tips and the next time you find yourself craving an evening on the … Read More →

Wow time flies! It has been over a year and half since the last time we were invited to guest blog for Total Prepare and what a busy time it’s been! Our business continues to grow by leaps and bounds. We have doubled in size since we last wrote here and expect to double again this year. This has been a very exciting time for us, but along with this success (and trust me: It … Read More →

Did you know that you can buy yourself rescue insurance? If you’re someone who has tendencies toward adventure (and we mean that as a good thing!) you might want to consider padding your preparations with insurance. After all, the skilled Argentine climber Natalia Martinez did everything right to be adequately prepared for her venture up Mount Logan in Yukon, but still found herself in an unavoidably precarious position after a pair of earthquakes set of … Read More →

Small businesses and start-ups are gaining more and more traction, especially here in Victoria where the tech industry is blossoming. And with people spending such large percentages of their time at work, it’s crucial for small businesses to have an emergency response plan. If you work for a start-up or you own a small business, you’ll want to consider the basic guideline we’ve outlined below, courtesy of worksafebc.com. How to develop an effective emergency response … Read More →

If you live in our neighbourhood or anywhere on the southern end of Vancouver Island, you’re probably familiar with the city of Colwood. Did you know that they have been recommended as a Role Model City in the United Nations’ Making Cities Resilient campaign? A team from Royal Roads University Master of Arts in Disaster and Emergency Management evaluated the city’s preparedness for a large-scale emergency such as an earthquake, and they were impressed! Only … Read More →

Do you like the expression “kill two birds with one stone,” but kind of wish it didn’t involve killing birds in the first place? I think you’re in good company. But hunting isn’t really the point of this blog post. It’s this exciting fact: you can get better prepared for emergencies AND reduce your carbon footprint at the same time! And today, we’re going to share a few tips on how to do just that… … Read More →