(Click on each heading for more information)
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Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Task Force[+]
The motto for the Emergency Preparedness Task Force is "Better the Neighbour who is Near than the Brother who is Far Away". This motto reflects the reality that following a major event, such as a catastrophic earthquake, it will be neighbours aiding neighbours that will initially begin the task of helping the community to recover from the aftermath.
The Emergency Preparedness Task Force was set up to encourage and assist residents of Cadboro Bay to be prepared to cope with whatever disaster or emergency situation may come our way. More specifically though, it is widely anticipated that when (not if) the west coast of BC is hit by a catastrophic earthquake, the municipal response will be overwhelmed and it will take days, if not weeks, for the provincial and federal responses to reach our area in any meaningful way. Therefore, we must be prepared to be self sufficient and have an effective plan for a local emergency response.
To this end:
- The EPTF periodically promotes seminars on such topics as basic first aid and radio communications, and disseminates information on emergency preparedness, such as information sheets on how to prepare for earthquakes, brush fires, tsunamis and storms.
- The EPTF also has annual general meetings where EPTF volunteers undertake exercises on various aspects of the planned local emergency response, and where EPTF executive address / update residents on how the EPTF has been evolving.
- The EPTF will activate in the event of a declared emergency by the mayor of Saanich. At such time, the EPTF executive and volunteers will implement its planned local emergency response. Several SubTask Forces of the EPTF have been established to undertake different aspects of the planned response, including an Incident Command Team, Radio Communications team, Search & Rescue teams and Shelter & First Aid teams.
A recent development in the EPTF has been the adoption of a new Convergent Volunteer program, which has replaced the old Street Captain program.
for more information on our Emergency Preparedness program and Incident Command System, or contact any of the Team leaders under the E.P. SubTask Forces tab below. -
Convergent Volunteer Program[+]Since 1998, one of the cornerstones of the Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Task Force (EPTF) has been the Street Captain Program, which at its peak included some 170 volunteer Street Captains distributed throughout all three zones that make up the Cadboro Bay area (Queenswood, The Village and Ten-Mile Point).
Unfortunately, it has proven difficult to maintain this program due to constant attrition, as volunteers move out of the area, or need to withdraw from the program due to aging, medical or other personal reasons.
Our emergency preparedness and planned response to a major event, such as a catastrophic earthquake, is something that must be sustainable for decades into the future, as an actual major event is something that will likely not occur in our lifetime (we hope). Therefore, the EPTF has been working to develop a more sustainable program for responding to a major event.
Accordingly, the EPTF is now introducing a new “Convergent Volunteer Program” which, over the next 2-3 years, will fully replace the Street Captain Program.
The underlying premise for this new program is that while people generally have little time or inclination to volunteer to participate in emergency preparedness, once an actual emergency occurs, most people are very willing to step up and volunteer to assist in the emergency response. Therefore, instead of the EPTF expending high amounts of time and energy trying to maintain a large roster of volunteers on standby, the EPTF is developing plans and protocols for receiving the anticipated influx of Convergent Volunteers and getting these volunteers organized as quickly and efficiently as possible to facilitate an effective and safe local emergency response.
For more information on this program read the or contact any of the EPTF team coordinators. -
E.P. Sub Task Force Teams[+]The Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Task Force is made up of several teams, which include:
Incident Command Team
The Incident Command Team will oversee and direct the local emergency response by: managing radio communications with Saanich and our local radio volunteers, evaluating and prioritizing the emergency response, dispatching Search & Rescue Teams, and matching resources with requirements.Communications Team
or
The Communications team has a cache of VHF radios ready to be distributed to Convergent Volunteers who in turn will be dispatched throughout Cadboro Bay to report back to the Incident Command team with status reports on each area of Cadboro Bay.
Temporary Shelter & First Aid Team
250-721 2916
The Temporary Shelter and First Aid teams will set up at St. George’s Church (3909 St. George’s Lane) – provided the facility has been deemed safe by an initial rapid damage assessment. If this facility is not safe, the Shelter and First Aid teams will set up elsewhere in Cadboro Bay, such as at Goward House, Cadboro Bay United Church, Frank Hobbs School etc.
Once established, the Shelter will offer comfort to residents in need and our medical volunteers will provide basic first aid.
NOTE: Residents are encouraged to be self sufficient and to remain at home unless unsafe. Residents should seek / offer help in their immediate neighbourhood and only seek assistance at the Shelter if absolutely necessary.
Search & Rescue (SAR) Teams
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Following a declared emergency, SAR teams will assemble at the St. George’s Church (3909 St. George’s Lane) where they will undertake a rapid damage assessment of this facility. The SAR teams have a cache of equipment stored in a kiosk at the church. Once the SAR teams are equipped, they will stand by for instructions from the Incident Command Team.
Convergent Volunteers
Convergent Volunteers will be received at St. George’s Church (3909 St. Georges Lane) where, based on a rapid assessment of their abilities, they will be assigned to one of the emergency response teams (for example, First Aid if they have medical training).
Emergency Preparedness Liaison, tel.
Our liaison can address any questions in regards to the activities of the Emergency Preparedness Task Force and assist anyone seeking to volunteer with this organization. -
Communications[+]The Communications team has several licensed Amateur Radio operators who live within the community and would support emergency radio communications for the Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Task Force Team.
They would operate a multiple channel Very High Frequency, VHF, radio capable of providing external communications to the Saanich Emergency Operations Centre at the Municipal Fire Station on Vernon Rd and other Capital Regional emergency agencies. The VHF radio is able to communicate with stations up the Island, the Mainland and Washington State through a series of repeaters allowing a reliable external link for the Cadboro Bay area.
The Communications team also has a cache of some 30 portable Ultra High Frequency, UHF, radios that are maintained annually with fresh batteries and can be preset to emergency channels for our area. The UHF radios have multiple channels and are low powered making them ideal to provide local communications while not interfering with the VHF external communication links. They're the same radios that have been issued to the local Search and Rescue teams, so there is standardization in all the communications equipment permitting the Incident Command Team to dispatch assistance where required.
Based on the new Convergent Volunteer program, as convergent / walk-in volunteers arrive at the Shelter, select individuals who demonstrate good mobility and an ability to operate a UHF radio will be dispatched to different parts of Cadboro Bay to reconnoitre these areas and provide status reports back to the Incident Command team. This approach allows for a dynamic response by establishing a network as required instead of relying on a fixed infrastructure and dedicated volunteers who may or may not be available to respond in the event of a major disaster. -
Tsunami Preparation[+]Saanich Tsunami Awareness
Saanich has prepared a comprehensive package of information on Tsunami Awareness for those who live in the municipality. This includes a brochure entitled 'Learn to Protect Yourself from a Tsunami' plus planning maps, two of which are significant for Cadboro Bay residents, the Cadboro Bay map and the Telegraph Bay map. Be sure to check out this important link.
Tsumanis and Tsunami Research from the Department of Fisheries & Oceans, Government of Canada
This web page outlines the research on the observation and modelling of tsunamis being conducted at the Institute of Ocean Sciences.
Tsunami Preparedness Information from the Provincial Emergency Program
For information on how to prepare for a tsunami in coastal British Columbia, check . As an example of the material available on this web site, to see a Powerpoint presentation by Fred Stephenson who spoke at our Emergency Preparedness Committee meeting, under the heading 'Tsunami Integrated Preparedness Project' follow 'Click here' and then click 'Fred Stephenson'.
Learn to Protect Yourself from a Tsunami
Information prepared by the City of Victoria is available here.
Better the Neighbour who is Near than the Brother who is Far Away.
Motto of the Emergency Preparedness Task Force
The old Street Captain program has been replaced by the new Convergent Volunteer program.
The Shelter will be at the St. George’s Church—unless deemed unsafe, in which case, a sign will be displayed with the alternative location.
St. George’s is at 3909 St George's Ln, Victoria, BC V8N 4E3
Residents are encouraged to be self sufficient and to remain at home unless unsafe
Seek/offer help in their immediate neighbourhood, and only seek assistance at the Shelter if absolutely necessary.
Additional Information on Emergency Preparedness
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Provincial Emergency Program[+]The is the webpage for , with the latest advisories of active emergencies in British Columbia regarding:
- Flooding
- Weather Events
- Wildland Fires
- Tsunamis
- Earthquakes
- Backcountry Accidents
- Wildlife Interface
- Disease Outbreaks
- Landslides
- Avalanches
- HAZMAT and Spills
- Volcanoes
- Drought
The Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Committee works closely with this group in planning.
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Saanich Emergency Program[+]Details of the Saanich Emergency Program. The Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Committee plans their approach in conjunction with what Saanich provides at the municipal level.
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Individual & Neighbourhood All Hazard Emergency Preparedness Workbook[+]was originally developed by the Greater Victoria Emergency Coordinator'sCommittee. Because British Columbia is a rovince of many hazards, the workbook has been updated as an all-inclusive guide to family emergency planning. The workbook has been developed in cooperation with various agencies, groups and individuals.
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Pandemic Influenza - Why Are We Concerned[+]A summary of the presentation given to the Cadboro Bay Residents Association by Dr. Mark Gilbert on April 2, 2006.
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Earthquake Information[+]
For information on how to prepare for an earthquake in coastal British Columbia, go to .
BC Government Victoria Earthquake Maps
To view the BC Government Earthquake Hazards Mapping of Greater Victoria, . -
FireSmart Manual[+]Protect your Home from Wildfires
A few summers ago, our local Cadboro Bay Emergency Preparedness Committee provided us with a booklet on wildfires. We are surrounded by woods so we should take precautions in hot dry weather. This is an excellent source of information. -
Emergency Preparedness in the CRD[+]Local emergency programs in the Capital Region District have collaborated to create an Emergency Preparedness Guide to help you and your family get ready for any emergency. This contains information on what do before, during, and after an emergency, and includes handy checklists so you don't forget anything.
See also the CRD Prepare Yourself page