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At Highland Secondary School, Mrs. Bourchier was easily one of the most well-liked teachers. In 10th grade, my classmates and I secretly crossed our fingers that her name would be on our schedules for Science 10. I was one of the lucky ones. Science was never a subject that I cared much for, but Mrs. B held my interest.

Because we live on the Juan de Fuca fault, the unit on earthquakes had everyone talking. One day in class, Mrs. B stated “if The Big One ever occurred, because of the plate structure, Vancouver Island would likely slip underneath the Mainland.”

Diagram: Natural Resources Canada

Okay, maybe that’s not exactly what she said, but it’s all my ears heard.

Fast forward a decade or more and I’ve come to experience a few tiny tremblers in my adult life, none of which were as scary as I expected. Northern Vancouver Island has been the epicentre for quake activity in recent weeks, activity that’s rattled many Island residents.

The latest earthquake struck late Sunday with a magnitude of 4.3 [source]. Though we’ve all been taught that The Big One is inevitable, the optimist in me would like to believe that all these little shakers are, one by one, relieving some of the pressure (though I’m quite sure that’s not actually true).

Either way, here are some facts to help you hang on to your sanity…

• The Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) records and locates an average of 4,000 earthquakes in Canada each year – that averages out to 11 per day!
• About 1,000 of those Canadian earthquakes are recorded in the GSC’s Sidney office on southern Vancouver Island.
• Vancouver Island will not sink in the event of an earthquake. It is located on the North American plate
• No confirmed casualty has ever been directly related to a Canadian earthquake, nor has any building actually ever collapsed.

[source]

There are few gathering spots where people from all walks of life converge in Victoria more than Dallas Road. Sweeping vistas over the Juan De Fuca Strait are the perfect spot for long walks, hearty talks and playing around at the dog park.

This past Saturday I spent the afternoon with an old girlfriend, trotting Jordy along the Dallas Road seawall as Sarah and I caught up on the past few years. As we looped back to make our way to a late lunch date, we saw something that one only ever reads about in newspapers or catches on the 6 o’clock news.

Photo: Victoria Daily Photo

In an SUV parked at the side of the road were three small dogs, barking, yelping and climbing over one another. Refusing to ignore what we saw, Sarah and I crossed the street to see if the dogs had water. There was none. The windows were each open about two inches, so I stuck my hand in a rear window to find that the air in the vehicle was much hotter than the air outside, as I expected.

Upon immediately phoning the Victoria-area SPCA Branch, I was instructed to “phone the Victoria Police Department right away.” The VicPD report-taker on the other end sighed after I relayed the story, telling me that this was her second of such calls in as many days. Just the day before, local police broke a window to rescue a German Shepherd from an overheated vehicle.

Sarah and I hung around until the officer arrived, and by then nearly 30 minutes had passed. Another hour later, the officer phoned me to instruct me he still hadn’t been able to locate the vehicle’s owner. Who knows how much longer those dogs would have suffered, being that the owner clearly wasn’t on a five-minute errand.

Double digits equal double trouble! According to the SPCA, brain damage and even death can occur in as little as 10 minutes in a hot car. [source]

Do your beloved pets a favour and leave them at home on hot days. They don’t have the ability to cool themselves properly and it’s simply not worth the risk. If you see an animal in such a situation, phone your local police department immediately. For more information on how to help dogs in hot cars, read the SPCA’s article with quick tips.

Naturally, all of this goes without saying ten-fold when children are involved. The risk is never, ever worth it.

No doubt that the face of air travel around the globe has changed beyond the point of return in the last decade. In fact, I can’t even remember the days of flying without my liquids in a Zip-loc bag and making my way through comprehensive security screening checkpoints.

In early 2010 it was announced that, in compliance with new Transportation Safety Administration protocol, full body scanners would be coming to Canadian airports. These scanners were not to be unlike x-ray machines, allowing security personnel a thorough view directly through passengers’ clothing. The idea behind the technology was that concealed items would be more easily found. However, the notion of literal transparency had people up in arms over their privacy. [source]

Photo: Impact Lab

On my last air travel trip, I bounced through Phoenix Sky Harbor airport on my way back to Canada. After clearing U.S. customs, I made my way to my departure terminal, but not before a stop in security. Though I had the option of a search without the body scanner, the scanner was the primary option for security screening.

I didn’t think twice before stepping in and raising my arms to do the YMCA. Seconds later I was told “all clear” and asked to move through. I had nothing to be ashamed of and certainly no weapon to conceal.

I never thought twice about any of it, knowing that each and every one of my fellow passengers had been scrutinized to the same degree. If anything, knowing that put me at complete ease about safety in the air on my imminent trip. That said, I can most definitely understand that some wouldn’t be comfortable with that method of screening for various reasons.

Sound Off…

• Do you think body scanners are an invasion of privacy or a necessary part of safe air travel?
• Do you think beefed up security measures should be extended to BC Ferries, rail and bus service?

Because Vancouver Island is located directly on a fault line and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, a horseshoe-shaped area of high seismic activity including earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, annual earthquake drills in preparing for that inevitable “Big One” was largely a part of attending any school in British Columbia.

Today marks the first annual Great British Columbia ShakeOut, a province-wide initiative to encourage each and every one of us to know what to do in an earthquake and how to best survive the days following. Each year more than 1,000 quakes are registered in Canada with the majority of those shakers taking place in BC. [source]

More than 400,000 people have registered to partake in this simultaneous earthquake drill, modeled after highly successful practices in the State of California. Whether or not you’re participating in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut, one of the best principles to know and stick to is “Drop, Cover and Hold On”:

1. Drop to the ground.

2. Take cover by ducking under a sturdy desk, table or within a doorframe.

3. Hold on until the shaking stops. Most earthquakes last an average of 60 seconds.

For more information on the Great British Columbia ShakeOut and for tips on how you can be better prepared for earthquakes in our region, visit the official website. You can also find them on Facebook or follow their updates on Twitter.

On June 23, 1946, a catastrophic earthquake rattled Vancouver Island. Centered in the Forbidden Plateau area, the 7.3 magnitude quake had far-reaching effects. Miraculously, only two fatalities were recorded: one due to heart failure and another who drowned near Port Alberni from the enormous waves that occurred after the earthquake. I have managed to dig up a few remaining photos that documented the damage.

Bank of Montreal, Port Alberni

Photo: Wikipedia file, photographer unknown

Kelsey Bay Highway, north of Campbell River

Photo: Wikipedia file, photographer unknown

Comox, house damage

Photo: Wikipedia file, photographer unknown

Courtenay Post Office

Photo: Natural Resources Canada

Courtenay Elementary School

Photo: Natural Resources Canada

Courtenay Elementary School, damage to classroom interior

Photo: Natural Resources Canada

Sharing our space with any number of wild animals is a part of everyday life on Vancouver Island. Deer roam our streets, elk cross our highways, bunnies hop across our front yards and occasionally black bears will make their presence known around the neighbourhood. With winter around the corner, it’s high season for hungry black bears that are looking to fill their bellies before hibernation begins.

While berries and wild salmon are their preferred diet, brave bears are finding their way into residential areas for food scraps. That said, here are a few tips* to help you to stay safe while sharing our Island with the black bear population:

• Don’t ever feed bears or purposefully leave food for them – doing so will only diminish their fear of humans, making them a larger threat.
• Stick to marked trails when hiking or biking and leave your pets at home. If you must bring them with you, keep your dog leashed at all times!
• Keep your eyes open for signs of bears in the area; this includes scat, claw marks, digging and shredded wood or stumps.
• Bring your garbage cans to the curb the day of pick-up, not the night before. Further, pet food should be stored indoors.
• With summer behind us, it’s likely that your BBQ is smothered with grease and/or food scraps. Make sure your BBQ is thoroughly cleaned – a bear’s sense of smell is its most keen sense!
• Vegetable gardens, berry bushes, fallen fruit from fruit trees and compost bins are prime targets for bears, so keep them tidy.

Photo: sointula on Flickr

Don’t let the name of the black bear fool you. Black bears can range in colour from jet black to cinnamon blonde and can weigh up to 500 pound or more, depending on the sex, age and time of year.

Black bears are typically less dangerous than their grizzly counterparts; however, should you encounter a black bear, it’s recommended that you back away slowly and calmly, never taking your eyes off the bear. Do not yell or wave your arms to provoke the bear. If a physical encounter is unavoidable, assume the fetal position and use your hands to protect the back of your neck with your head tucked under.

* Source