Five years later: BC learns lessons from Fukushima

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – People across Japan observed a moment of silence this morning to honour the victims of one of that country’s worst natural catastrophes.

It has been exactly five years since a magnitude-9 earthquake triggered a massive tsunami — the twin disasters killed more than 18,000 people and, even today, 180,000 people are still displaced.

BC’s emergency management team watched events unfold in 2011 and has spent the last five years studying how Japan responded in the days, weeks and months afterward.

“I was fortunate to visit Japan about a year after Fukushima to learn from our Japanese colleagues after those tragic events,” says Pat Quealey, assistant deputy minister for Emergency Management BC.

“Lessons are only truly learned when they result in positive action. Here in BC, we have taken significant strides to improve our preparedness. It’s safe to say we now lead the nation in earthquake preparedness,” he tells NEWS 1130.

That includes the creation of the province’s first Catastrophic Earthquake Immediate Response Plan.

“It was clearly built from lessons learned not only from our Japanese colleagues but also other instances around the world where they have unfortunately experienced these things.”

Quealey says one key lesson that came out of Japan’s response is that any plan needs to be integrated and flexible.

“It highlighted that it requires all levels of government, non-governmental organizations and private citizens to be working together.”

BC is also continuing to invest in an earthquake early warning system in collaboration with Ocean Networks Canada and is developing and improving its emergency alert system.

“Equally important, we are incorporating new public education material in guides to help prepare people for such events,” says Quealey.

In early June, Emergency Management BC will be leading a multi-agency exercise to test Catastrophic Earthquake Immediate Response Plan.

“This is critical and the Japanese are very good at this. A plan is only as good as the paper it’s written on unless you exercise it, test it and improve on it. From June 7 to 10 we will be in Port Alberni working closely with our First Nations and local authority partners and exercising that plan and how BC will support a coastal community in the event of an earthquake and tsunami.”

In 1964, Port Alberni was hit by a tsunami generated by a massive 9.2-magnitude quake in Alaska, causing extensive damage in the community.

Emergency Management BC is also coming up with contingency plans for receiving and using aid from other countries in the event of a natural disaster.

“Ultimately bad things will happen and, in times of adversity, it is clear that leadership will be necessary. We can all be leaders in ensuring our own personal preparedness. Communicating that plan and testing is it something we can all do,” says Quealey.

“It’s our time to lead and BC is capable.”