A recent report from the UBC School of Community Planning has given local emergency planners much to think about.
The report found that 94% of households in the inundation zone evacuated during the Tsunami Warning in the early morning hours of January 23rd.
City of Port Alberni CAO Tim Pley said while most people know the significance of a tsunami warning given the destruction that occurred here in 1964, there are many new people in the valley that emergency planners need to educate.
The report examines the city’s response to the January Tsunami Warning and Pley said while the community response to the tsunami siren was great, more education is needed.
He said knowing what to do, where to go, and how to get out of danger areas will be a focus of the education campaign
Pley says the information collected by researchers through their door-to-door survey in the inundation zone, is much more valuable than the often negative comments posted on social media.
He said the regional district is close to hiring an emergency planning coordinator who will inevitably move forward on many of the recommendations contained in the report.
Further recommendations are expected in the final report which is expected in October.