Port Alberni students took part in Tsunami Preparedness Week last week by hiking out of the tsunami inundation zone with some help from the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District.
Students from three different classes at Tsuma-as Elementary School hiked from the school grounds up to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Compton Road on Thursday, April 18, where they took part in a number of emergency preparedness workshops and met with Alberni Valley firefighters.
“[The fire departments] assist with evacuations during emergencies,” explained Karen Freethy, protective services manager for the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District (ACRD). “So it made sense for them to be there. And they’re always popular with the kids.”
Freethy played the sound of the tsunami siren for students. But one thing students learned about, said Freethy, was recognizing the natural signs of a tsunami, in case there is no siren.
“Tsunamis are usually caused by earthquakes, so an earthquake is a pretty big sign,” said Freethy. “But there are also signs on the water, like the sound of a loud roar or the sight of the ocean receding.”
Kids were told where the different tsunami inundation zones are, how to put together a grab-and-go bag and what actions to take when a tsunami does arrive.
“The kids get to go home now and talk to their families about what they learned,” said Freethy. “They can be leaders in their home and talk about how to build a family emergency plan. The more prepared you are, the safer you are.”
This is the second year that the ACRD has partnered with School District 70 (Pacific Rim) to host a “Hike to High Ground” event in Port Alberni. Previously, a class at Maquinna Elementary School hiked up from Harbour Quay to Trinity Church.
This was just one of a few activities that the ACRD hosted over Tsunami Preparedness Week, which took place from April 14 to 20. Staff from the ACRD and City of Port Alberni took part in their own Hike to High Ground, and a hike was hosted in Bamfield. The ACRD also hosted an emergency operations tabletop exercise, facilitated by Calian, which went over how to protect residents during a tsunami and evacuation.