Local News
This is where you'll find all the news that is the news in the Oceanside area; at least the highlights.
What have we learned?
By Neil Horner
May 9th, 2008
When the ground stops shaking, the first thing Chris Jancowski is going to do is make sure he's all right. Then he'll check on his family.
Only when he's sure everyone is alive and well and out of immediate danger from aftershocks will the Qualicum Beach fire Chief don his uniform and get to work saving the rest of the community.
Meanwhile, the town's bylaw enforcement officer, Craig Reid, will also make sure he and his family are safe before heading over to the emergency operations centre and getting to work. All across town, other firefighters and emergency personnel will do the same.
They would be in for a long, frustrating day, with trees down, buildings collapsed and burning, phones out, power out and everywhere they look, people in need of help.
Both Jancowski and Reid know there won't be much they can do. Not at first.
"In the event of an earthquake and other large scale disasters, resources would be taxed very thin for the first seven days, if not for an extended period of time,"Jancowski said.
"In the first seven days, we would expect volunteer groups such as the fire department to initially take care of their own families, and only once that is secured would they report to the fire station."
What this means, he said, is most Qualicum Beach residents would be on their own, with emergency services having to use their limited resources to respond to only the highest priority problems.
"If we only have six to eight firefighters, we won't be able to combat six fires at the same time,"Jancowski said. "We would have to pick the one or two that have life safety importance. If there are two people trapped in a burning house, that takes precedence over a boat washed up on the shore."
As the emergency crews trickled in, many having to walk to the emergency command centre at town hall, they would be separated into two 12-hour shifts, further diluting their numbers.
"Our first roles would be to get the emergency operations centre together,"Reid said.
"That's the number one concern. Then it all flows from there."
Original Source:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/18786634.html
By Neil Horner
May 9th, 2008
When the ground stops shaking, the first thing Chris Jancowski is going to do is make sure he's all right. Then he'll check on his family.
Only when he's sure everyone is alive and well and out of immediate danger from aftershocks will the Qualicum Beach fire Chief don his uniform and get to work saving the rest of the community.
Meanwhile, the town's bylaw enforcement officer, Craig Reid, will also make sure he and his family are safe before heading over to the emergency operations centre and getting to work. All across town, other firefighters and emergency personnel will do the same.
They would be in for a long, frustrating day, with trees down, buildings collapsed and burning, phones out, power out and everywhere they look, people in need of help.
Both Jancowski and Reid know there won't be much they can do. Not at first.
"In the event of an earthquake and other large scale disasters, resources would be taxed very thin for the first seven days, if not for an extended period of time,"Jancowski said.
"In the first seven days, we would expect volunteer groups such as the fire department to initially take care of their own families, and only once that is secured would they report to the fire station."
What this means, he said, is most Qualicum Beach residents would be on their own, with emergency services having to use their limited resources to respond to only the highest priority problems.
"If we only have six to eight firefighters, we won't be able to combat six fires at the same time,"Jancowski said. "We would have to pick the one or two that have life safety importance. If there are two people trapped in a burning house, that takes precedence over a boat washed up on the shore."
As the emergency crews trickled in, many having to walk to the emergency command centre at town hall, they would be separated into two 12-hour shifts, further diluting their numbers.
"Our first roles would be to get the emergency operations centre together,"Reid said.
"That's the number one concern. Then it all flows from there."
Original Source:
http://www.bclocalnews.com/vancouver_island_central/parksville_qualicumbeachnews/news/18786634.html
Home |
About Me |
Listings |
MLS Search |
Our Community |
Contact
Copyright ©2008 | All Rights Reserved |
Royal Lepage - Parksville Qualicum Beach Realty
Website Developed and Maintained by: Fudnut.com
Copyright ©2008 | All Rights Reserved |
Royal Lepage - Parksville Qualicum Beach Realty
Website Developed and Maintained by: Fudnut.com