Government Takes Flak For Quake Response
Sunday, October 28, 2012 @ 11:20 AM
Prince George, B.C. – The provincial government has come in for some criticism for its handling of information dissemination following Saturday night’s big earthquake off the B.C. coast.
First word of the quake came from people at the coast and inland who had experienced it firsthand. Then media outlets scrambled to make contact with officials at one level or another who could explain the situation and provide information that could be passed on to residents in areas affected by the quake.
The fact it came on a Saturday night made securing those contacts that much more difficult, however it also pointed out problems in getting information during what appeared to be an emergency situation.
Efforts to contact the Emergency Management Minister, Shirley Bond, were unsuccessful. In fact it was a 250 NEWS reporter, trying to contact Bond, who informed a ministry communications official that an event had even taken place. It was a full 2 hours and 41 minutes after the earthquake struck before the government first addressed the situation in a 10:45pm teleconference.
And during that conference call Emergency Management was pointedly told that thousands of people in some of the affected areas had no idea where they were to go to access information about the quake and the threat of a tsunami in an immediate emergency situation. Checks of the provincial government website contained nothing whatsoever to do with the quake.
Kelly Kryzanowski, the Manager of Strategic Initiatives with Emergency Management B.C., responded. “We received information from the west coast Alaska Tsunami Warning Centre which is the definitive voice for all of the Pacific basin. The information is rapidly collated and it is found on our website at Emergency Info BC. And we also have Twitter, we have a very robust social media system and they have been tweeting out information from the moment this started to happen.” Emergency Info BC boasts a twitter following of 15,000 people. British Columbia currently has an estimated population of 4.5 million. No information was given on how a person gets information if they don’t have a computer or a Twitter account. 250NEWS’ check on Twitter indicate Emergency B.C.’s first "tweet" was made nearly an hour after the quake happened.
Minister Bond pointed out that “each local authority has their own plan and so in fact we were aware very early on that there were evacuees, for example, in Haida Gwaii, that certainly the plan appeared to be working very quickly and very well. Local authorities are responsible for those plans and we work to ensure that we can support them.”
Comments
‘Government Takes Flak For Quake Response’.
Takes flak from whom? Ben Meisner?
Must be great to run a ‘news outlet’ where all you have to do to attract readership is to criticize other people and complain.
*sigh* It all looks good from the outside, but once you get into actually needing them it becomes glaringly apparent that they actually are woefully unprepared. Why am I always embarrassed that these people represent me and mine on the world stage? We need better people in office that take charge and know what they are doing.
The article is right, we do need a solid emergency plan, but what do you expect, MLA’s to go door to door? Luckily, nobody seems to have been hurt, so we all get a chance to learn from this incident without anyone having to “pay” for the lesson. Let’s get our house in order shall we.
The earthquake information and subsequent tsunami warning was up on the Natural Resources Canada website within a half hour of the quake. After that, the information was everywhere.
I checked online right after the event government Canada site for earth quake activity was no better, there was mention of a quake first said it was OCT 28 then was change to 27th later but no other information . If it was not for the USGS we would know nothing.
I have to agree with rocky. Emergency preparedness ultimately comes down to the individual. Governments can only do so much to warn and ‘educate’ people. Then, people have to take responsibility for themselves.
And let’s face it, no matter what the government response was, there would have been criticism coming from somewhere.
I would like to give kudos to Opinion250 for their quickest response to the earthquake reporting. I was at work last night and I went on the internet immediately after the quake looking for confirmation of the quake and information on the location of the epicentre. We have family down at the coast and I was concerned about the “Big One” we are always being told will happen some day. Opinion250 was the very first to report on the quake and the information was correct. Thanks!
rocky: there are probably many more news organisations stating the same thing today.
For just a moment, lets consider this: If the quake was more violent and of such a type that would creat a tsunami, would people have been able to get news about it or a tsunami warning any faster?
That may fall to individual communities but where would they get their information on it? Maybe they are all tied to the USGS, I don’t know but shouldn’t OUR government be providing this information to us?
Who cares ? It was a non-event ! The wintery roads was a bigger weather story ! You are scraping the barrel taking credit for this one O250, slow news day!
Disaster notification requires people on duty 24/7 watching for the signs of a disaster and people on duty 24/7 with the ability and authority to spread the word. Cutting the deficit by reducing the hours people work and by reducing the number pf people doing the work will cut the deficit, but it also cuts the ability to respond to the disaster. No thanks to the Provincial Emergency management is due. Thanks is due to the locals who acted. Hopefully the Provincial people will reimburse the local authorities for their out of pocket expenses.
I wonder how much of the west coast would have been decimated in 2hrs 41mins.
when in Port Alberni for a time a friend showed me the level to which the water had risen from the tidal surge in 1965,any 3 story buildings on the water front would have been under water.I/m not sure but I think that earthquake originated in the aleutian islands.
There was a tsunami warning within 5 minutes of feeling the quake here in PG on the internet, all of the north coast was already at high ground minutes after the quake. Can’t say that we weren’t prepared.
Vulgar that earthquake rearranged Anchorage.
So I suppose the Government is suppose to instantly now what’s happening and then instantly determinate that information even if it happens in a remote area which by the way is most of BC. Seems there was quick action taken in communities affected. That is just how a first response is going to take place in an emergency.
Hey Nao!
We could always have the ndp in power, then all the union types would be on strike! LMAO!
Be assured we will begin banning posters if you canât be civil.
Stay on topic or find somewhere else to comment.
Personally, it isn’t the government’s job to prepare me, protect me or provide for me. Responsibility, like charity, starts at home.
So at almost 3pm on Sunday afternoon, almost 24 hours after the quake, someone on here writes that he/she thinks the quake ornated in the igihit in the Aleutian Islands.
There is the reason why some of the people are not prepared. Some of the people cannot even get the info right after a day.
As someone said, emergency responses have to work effectively locally, expecially in population centres where individuals can have the support of a larger community at hand.
I have yet to read anything about the local situations on here or anywhere else locally for that matter.
Since we have been to Tofino frequently, I know from first hand experience that they seem to be set up quite well for tsunami warnings and evacuation procedures. The coastal highway there is dotted with blue signs indicating entering and leaving tsunami areas in a similar fashion that mountain areas are dotted with avalanche signs and earthslide sings.
So, if you want to get the latest and you have access to the internet, then seek out sites like this one:
http://tofinonews.blogspot.com
As far as the US having the information about Tsunamis and earthquakes, Canada plays virtually no role that I am aware of on the world scale of tsunami monitoring systems. Not every country can be nor has to be. If we should be, then let your MP know and he/she will get right on it ….
If you want BC to pay for it, then let your MLA know and he/she will get right on it ……
Sticky keys ….. part of the first sentence above should read: “the quake originated in the Aleutian Islands”.
jutrting, I think I can understand your plight
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