Evacuation Siren Not Part Of Exercise

City to test response program during Area Alert Exercise, Thursday, Nov 28

In accordance with the goals outlined in the Short-term Mitigation Plan implemented in September as a means to protect public safety during an extreme rainfall or significant seismic event, tomorrow morning between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 noon the City of Nanaimo will conduct a localized Area Alert Exercise in the inundation zone below the Colliery Dams. 

The exercise is designed to familiarize City officials with the necessary procedures required to conduct a community evacuation and includes the following objectives:

·         Practice the establishment of the unified command at two identified locations

·         Practice driving the identified emergency routes

·         Test the Emergency Call Alert System

The City of Nanaimo advises there is no requirement for members of the public living or working in the inundation zone to leave their home or place of business during the exercise.

The City of Nanaimo also advises those members of the public living or working in the inundation zone who signed up for a call alert that they will receive an identified test call during the exercise.  Individuals receiving these calls should listen only – no action is necessary.

Thursday’s Area Alert Exercise was planned through the months of October and November and originally included testing a neighbourhood wide evacuation siren.  A delay in the installation of the siren equipment has resulted in the siren test being removed from tomorrow’s exercise.  Details concerning the revised testing schedule will be communicated to the public in advance of the siren being activated.

For more information on public safety and emergency preparedness, please visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/publicsafety