20 Meters in 20 Minutes!
Did you feel the recent magnitude 6.7 earthquake off Nootka Sound? It is another wake-up call to check
how well we are prepared for a bigger disaster. I would like to go over a few emergency preparedness
and response matters with you. Let’s start with the basics… Public Safety Canada is the Federal
department responsible for emergency preparedness in Canada. This department emphasizes three
steps to emergency preparedness: know the risks where you live, make a plan, and get a kit. It should
not be a secret to anyone living on the coast that our highest impact risk is an earthquake and/or
tsunami. Every household should have an emergency plan and basic supplies for a minimum of 72
hours. Since we ‘live on the edge’ we should have emergency supplies for up to 7 days!
Let’s talk about the worst case scenario and the reality that it could happen. At the recent Emergency
Forum on Mar 24, a Natural Resources Canada seismologist explained that there is a 1 in 3 chance that a
magnitude 7 to 9 earthquake will occur in the next 50 years along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. It is
important to understand the two different types of earthquakes. The recent quake was a strike slip
fault, which generally do not create tsunamis (these earthquakes happen quite frequently off our
coast). An earthquake of this magnitude along the Nootka fault typically occurs every 10 years. The
Nootka fault slides between the north end of the Juan de Fuca Plate and the south end of a small
tectonic plate called the Explorer Plate. A megathrust earthquake is a different story… These
earthquakes are known to almost always generate significant series of tsunamis, as the megathrust
occurs at subduction zones at destructive plate boundaries, where one tectonic plate is subducted by
another. See figure 1 below.
Figure 1: Thrust fault vs. strike-slip fault (figure designed by Stephen Holland)
So, more importantly... what will you and your family do if a megathrust earthquake occurs followed by
a series of tsunamis? Step 1: Drop, Cover, and Hold On! The ground will shake for approx. 3 to 5
minutes; this is your tsunami siren! You and your families will then have approx. 20 minutes to get to
high ground before the first tsunami wave hits the coastline. This is the why Ucluelet’s Emergency
Coordinating Committee created the slogan, 20 Meters in 20 Minutes! When the shaking stops and you
have assembled your family and grabbed your emergency kit (s), Step 2 is to evacuate to the closest
community safe zone. In Ucluelet there are 6 community safe zones:
1. High School and Associated Fields – elev. is approx. 27 m/90 ft.
District of Ucluelet
Karla Robison, Manager of Environmental and Emergency Service
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Westerly Article - April 30, 2014
2. Reef Point High Points – elev. is approx. 27 m/90 ft.
3. Coast Guard Road High Points – elev. is approx. 24 m/80 ft. (parking lot in the forest)
4. Tugwell Fields – elev. is approx. 25 m/85 ft.
5. Hyphocus Island High Points – elev. is approx. 52 m/177 ft.
6. Millstream High Points – elev. is approx. 35 m/110 ft. (industrial area)
After the danger has passed and local government authorities have informed you can leave higher
ground, Step 3 is to go to the High School for information and assistance. While travelling be aware of
hazards such as downed power lines, debris, damaged roadways, unstable buildings, etc.
To receive earthquake, tsunami, and other weather alert emails and SMS services, please see the links
outlined below.
 The UNESCO link https://lists.unesco.org/wws/subscribe/tsunami-information-ioc subscribes
you to receive earthquake/tsunami statements from the National Weather Service (NWS)
National Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC) statement from Palmer Alaska and/or the Pacific
Tsunami Warning Centre (PTWC) statements from Ewa Beach, Hawaii.
 The US Geological Survey (USGS) link https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/ will subscribe you to
receive earthquake notifications.
 Emergency Management British Columbia (EMBC’s) link
http://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/info-pages/resources-and-information-for-you-andyour-family.html outlines a variety of emergency alerts through twitter, text and email services.
 The National Weather Service link http://www.weather.gov/subscribe has a variety of additional
email and SMS weather alert services.
If you’re receiving these messages, please take your time, read the statements thoroughly, and look at
the time sequence the statements were sent and not received. Please take the time to understand the
differences between the 5 tsunami alert levels: warning, advisory, watch, information statement, and
cancellation as this will determine your response. See figure 2.
Figure 2: Five Tsunami Alert Levels - www.embc.gov.bc.ca
District of Ucluelet
Karla Robison, Manager of Environmental and Emergency Service
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Westerly Article - April 30, 2014
The Provincial department responsible for emergency preparedness in BC is Emergency Management BC
(EMBC). During a possible tsunami event, EMBC reissues the National Weather Service (NWS) National
Tsunami Warning Centre (NTWC) statements with a BC-specific tsunami messages to local emergency
personnel through the Provincial Emergency Notification System (PENS). There are 5 tsunami zones for
British Columbia. Ucluelet and Tofino are located in Zone C, which consists of the outer west coast from
Cape Scott to Port Renfrew (see diagram below).
Figure 3: Five Zones in British Columbia - www.embc.gov.bc.ca
If you felt the 6.7 quake on Apr 23, 2014, please share your experience at
 Natural Resources Canada http://www.earthquakescanada.nrcan.gc.ca/recent_eq/2014/20140424.0310/index-eng.php
 USGS - http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/usb000px6r#dyfi
For more information about emergency preparedness and response, please visit EMBC’s website
www.embc.gov.bc.ca and the District of Ucluelet’s website under Community Notices and Emergency
Management.
Karla Robison, Environmental & Emergency Service Manager - District of Ucluelet
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 250-726-7744
District of Ucluelet
Karla Robison, Manager of Environmental and Emergency Service
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Westerly Article - April 30, 2014