Record number of participants take part in 2017 Great British Columbia ShakeOut

VANCOUVER, Oct. 19 2017 /CNW/ - A record 886,000 British Columbians took part in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut today, joining millions around the world.

Government officials, along with students, and representatives from the BC Earthquake Alliance, Insurance Bureau of Canada and Science World helped mark the event by participating in the "Drop, Cover and Hold On" drill on ShakeOutBC Day at Science World.

"Earthquakes are one of the critical hazards we face in B.C., and The Great British Columbia ShakeOut reminds us all that our first reaction must be to 'Drop, Cover and Hold On' when an earthquake strikes," said Jennifer Rice, Parliamentary Secretary for Emergency Preparedness in British Columbia. "I am encouraged by the widespread participation in this year's event, and I urge British Columbians to discover PreparedBC and the resources that are available to help us continue to raise the bar on disaster readiness. Emergency preparedness is an ongoing endeavour, and together, we are taking action and building a British Columbia that is better prepared."

"This year 886,000 British Columbians participated in the Great British Columbia ShakeOut earthquake drill. On the day of the drill, we hosted a "Seismic and Tsunami Science" fair at Science World in Vancouver - to help school classes and the public understand the risks they face in this region. News media organizations were on hand to help us spread this message to encourage people to plan and prepare for future damaging earthquakes; this goes a long way to making B.C. resilient."

"Earthquakes are a fact of life on the West Coast," said Dr Scott Sampson, President and CEO of Science World. "Science World supports the Great British Columbia ShakeOut because we believe that developing an understanding of the science of earthquakes and tsunamis and what to do in such emergencies is integral to keeping yourself and others safe during a disaster."

"IBC is proud to once again take part in this year's Great British Columbia ShakeOut," said Aaron Sutherland, Vice-President, Pacific, IBC. "Government, businesses, and all British Columbians have a role to play in creating a true culture of earthquake preparedness across this province. By working together, we can make British Columbia a safer, better prepared province for when disaster strikes."

Facts

• More than 886,000 British Columbians registered for this year's "Drop, Cover and Hold On" drill. Worldwide, nearly 43 million people have participated in Great ShakeOut drills to date.
• More than 3,000 earthquakes occur in BC every year. Most are too small to be felt, but the risk of one capable of causing major damage is real.
• There's a one in 10 chance for a destructive megathrust earthquake in BC within the next 50 years.
• "Drop, Cover and Hold On" is internationally recognized as a life-saving practice during an earthquake. Dropping to the ground prevents the earthquake from dropping you first. Taking cover and holding on help protect you from flying objects and falling debris.

Learn More

• To help promote the Great British Columbia ShakeOut and the importance of earthquake preparedness, the BC Earthquake Alliance and IBC have launched the "Show Me ShakeOut" poster and video contest for school-aged children. Visit www.shakeoutbc.ca for details.
• London Drugs, HEMBC, Ivanhoe Cambridge, BC Hydro, and FortisBC are among the sponsors of this year's event. For a full list of sponsors, organizers and supporters click here.

Helpful Links
http://www.shakeoutbc.ca/
http://www.gov.bc.ca/PreparedBC 
http://www.ibc.ca/on/disaster/earthquake/shakeout
http://fortisbc.com/Safety/EmergencyPreparedness/Earthquakes/Pages/default.aspx 
http://www.bchydro.com/safety-outages/safety-in-emergencies/natural-disasters.html?WT.mc_id=rd_floodprep 
http://www.phsa.ca/our-services/programs-services/health-emergency-management-bc

About ShakeOutBC
The Great British Columbia ShakeOut aims to raise awareness about BC's earthquake risk and the importance of "Drop, Cover and Hold On." In 2016, more than 785,000 British Columbians participated in the annual drill, joining more than 43 million people worldwide. For information about ShakeOutBC and how to take part, please visit www.shakeoutbc.ca. You can also connect with ShakeOutBC on Twitter (@ShakeOutBC), Facebook and Instagram.

About Science World
Science World British Columbia is a charitable organization that engages British Columbians in science and inspires future science and technology leadership throughout our province.

About Insurance Bureau of Canada
Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) is the national industry association representing Canada's private home, auto and business insurers. Its member companies make up 90% of the property and casualty (P&C) insurance market in Canada. For more than 50 years, IBC has worked with governments across the country to help make affordable home, auto and business insurance available for all Canadians. IBC supports the vision of consumers and governments trusting, valuing and supporting the private P&C insurance industry. It champions key issues and helps educate consumers on how best to protect their homes, cars, businesses and properties.

Why "Drop, Cover and Hold On"?
"Drop, Cover, Hold On" is internationally recognized as the best way to prevent injuries and save lives during an earthquake. Dropping to the ground prevents the earthquake from causing you to fall. Taking cover and holding helps protect you from flying objects and falling debris. Follow the link for short informational videos on proper form and more on why it works: http://ow.ly/T2y2x.

SOURCE Insurance Bureau of Canada

If you require more information, spokespeople are available to discuss the details in this advisory: The Great British Columbia ShakeOut, Media Relations: [email protected]; Jason Bosher, Communications Coordinator, Science World British Columbia, 604.443.7470, [email protected]; Andrew McGrath, Manager, Media Relations, Insurance Bureau of Canada, 416-362-2031 ext. 4312, [email protected]