B.C. residents not prepared for severe winter storms: report
Credit to Author: Tiffany Crawford| Date: Fri, 22 Nov 2019 15:26:20 +0000
B.C. has experienced two severe winter storms in the past four years, but despite this, a majority of British Columbians are not prepared for a powerful weather event, says a BC Hydro report released Friday.
A survey conducted for BC Hydro found that nearly 60 per cent of B.C. residents have not taken steps to be more prepared for a power outage, while only half (50 per cent) have an emergency preparedness kit.
Of those without a kit, only 12 per cent said they are planning to buy one this year.
BC Hydro says in its report that B.C. experienced the worst windstorm in its history last December, with unprecedented system damage that left about 750,000 customers without power.
Vancouver, BC: DECEMBER 20, 2018 — A storm that hit the south coast brought high winds and power outages throughout the region.
Some of the hardest hit areas were left without power for more than three days. Areas of the Gulf Islands, like some parts of Salt Spring Island for example, were without power over the holidays for a week.
Dec. 27, 2018 – A fallen tree lies dangerously close to Eric Touchburn’s home on Galiano.
BC Hydro says 87 per cent of customers on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands experienced an outage during that storm.
In Metro Vancouver, December’s storm destroyed a section of the White Rock pier, splitting it in two and leaving a man stranded.
A man is rescued after a storm split the White Rock pier in half on Dec. 20, 2018.
Overall last year in the Lower Mainland, BC Hydro customers were without power for an average of 3.8 hours. The region was hardest hit during the 2015 August windstorm. That storm shut down a generator and wiped out a power grid in the Lower Mainland.
The survey found that a majority of those impacted by the 2018 storm felt they could have been better prepared, but only half of those have taken steps to be safe during a winter storm.
One-third of respondents have encountered a downed power line following a windstorm and 15 per cent said they have had a power line fall on or near their property.
Twenty per cent do not know how to tell if a downed power line is live, with over half incorrectly thinking a live power line emits a buzzing sound, movement or sparks, according to the BC Hydro report.
BC Hydro recommends an emergency kit contain:
The online survey of 800 B.C. adults was conducted for BC Hydro by Majid Khoury between Oct. 16 and Oct. 21. The margin of error was not immediately available.
ticrawford@postmedia.com