The city will review the location and makeup of their public works yard following Exercise: Coastal Response in June.
The $1 million provincial initiative is a full-scale major earthquake and tsunami response exercise which will take place in the Port Alberni region from June 7–10.
Port Alberni resident Roland Smith sent in a letter expressing concern over whether a tsunami could flood the works yard if it were to occur in the Alberni Inlet.
“In the spirit of emergency preparedness then, and long-term planning, is council cognizant, with respect to the safekeeping of the city’s equipment, that the city works yard resides within the tsunami inundation zone,” Roland Smith wrote in a letter to city council.
“In fact, a significant percentage of tools and equipment are stored or parked north of the Lupsi Cupsi slough, barely a metre above those winter high tides that flood Clutesi Marina’s parking lot.
“What is council’s plan to address this seeming gap in the goal of emergency preparedness?”
“Mr. Smith raises a good point and one that staff is already mindful of,” said acting city manager Tim Pley.
“We have our Emergency Management BC exercise in Port Alberni and at the end of the exercise there will be an after-exercise review of the exercise and recommendations made for changes.”
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