Emergency preparedness is a theme gaining traction in the Alberni Valley, and there are signs all over indicating why.
Earlier this week the Young Professionals of the Alberni Valley (YPAV) quietly celebrated the installation of their tsunami memorial artwork at the corner of Argyle Street and Kingsway Avenue. Pyrographic artist Shayne Lloyd has preserved memories of the Alberni Valley and how it has shaped up since the Good Friday tsunami of 1964 that roared up the Alberni Inlet in the middle of the night.
The Alberni Valley Bulldogs last weekend honoured community first responders with a pair of ceremonial faceoffs and info on emergency preparedness. First responders comprise paramedics, police officers, firefighters, volunteer search and rescue members, radio groups and more.
Mayor Mike Ruttan has been filling a grab n’ go bag at the beginning of every city council meeting, with the goal of having the bag filled by mid-June with everything a person would need to survive in a disaster.
Why June? The Alberni Valley is poised to host a three-day earthquake and tsunami emergency response exercise that will see city and regional district officials team up with emergency responders and others. An urban search and rescue team will visit the Valley for an exercise as well.
Watch for more information on this exercise in the coming weeks. And think about whether you’re truly prepared.
— ALBERNI VALLEY NEWS