SIVFD NEWS - savary island committee

SIVFD NEWS
2009 SUMMER EDITION
ISSUE 2 PAGE 4 SUMMER 2009
Emergency Response
Evacuation plans and fire suppression.
Awareness.
We are all here to enjoy this unique island paradise, and
consider it to be our escape from the pressures of the city
and its daily grind. Nobody wants to imagine the possibility
of a major disaster on Savary. But in the case of a major
emergency there are two simple points to remember:
1. Communication.
One of the difficulties during a major emergency is knowing
how to effectively inform the public, be it evacuation
notices, road closures, health or safety concerns, etc. In
large-scale incidents it is often not practical for response
crews to give door-to-door emergency info. One way in
which the Regional District Emergency Program is planning
to meet this communications challenge is through
coordination with radio stations throughout our region
for the broadcast of pertinent emergency info.
Should the Emergency Program have important information
for the public during a major emergency (e.g.
earthquake, large fire), it will be broadcast on one of the
following FM stations:
95.7 FM – broadcast from Powell River
98.9 FM – broadcast from Courtenay
99.7 FM – broadcast from Campbell River
If there’s time to tune in to one of these stations then at
least you’ll know what’s happening on Savary and whether
there’s a need to evacuate.
2. Evacuation.
If you need to escape a major wildfire on Savary, you
should head to the beach. You and your family will be
found easier by emergency crews. Memorize at least two
evacuation points near your cabin, and head for the one
that’s not in the path of the smoke and fire. As per the
CWPP recommendations, the PRRD and the SIVFD will be
developing signage for marshalling points for boat and
air evacuation. The map below shows some of the main
points identified by the SIVFD.
If you do not need to travel on Savary’s roads then
you should not, because the roads are not designed for a
An example of a narrow, steep, unmaintained road on Savary.
sudden increase of panicked drivers. You could end up
blocking the emergency crews who are trying to get to
you and your neighbours. Walk along the shore to your
nearest evacuation point. Remember that the government
dock will be one of many points of egress for the
island, so don’t think it’s your only exit.
Improving our roads.
A major part of the CWPP is about our roads. They are
narrow, overgrown with poor sight lines, have too many
dead ends, are not well maintained, and do not allow for
SAVARY ISLAND
CWPP
“Narrow
road ways
may complicate
access and
evacuation
during wildfire
events.”
emergency vehicle access for a
significant portion of the island.
The SIVFD is not a proponent of
making this island into a paved
city. We have already shown our
ability to adapt by purchasing 4x4
emergency vehicles. But we would
prefer that the roads be maintained
to at least a minimum level
where we can safely get to you and your family in the
case of an emergency.
The CWPP report gives far more detail than this short
newsletter contains, and the SIVFD encourages all
Savaryites to get hold of a copy. ■
Download the Savary CWPP Report from:
www.powellriverrd.bc.ca (6.8MB)
Sign out a printed copy (80 pages), on-island:
Call Doug Smith 604-414-0770 or
Phil Zweep 604-414-0498