Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan Resort Municipality of Whistler and District of Squamish
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Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan Resort Municipality of Whistler and District of Squamish Page 1 Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan 2019 Contents Introduction 3 Evacuation Strategies 54 Purpose of the Plan 3 Evacuation Zones 55 Vision of the Plan 3 Evacuation Phasing 57 Plan Approach 3 Destination Assignment 58 Scope of the Plan 4 Traffic Management Strategies 58 Plan Format 5 En Route Services 63 Document Use 5 Communication to Neighbouring Communities 64 Project Organization 6 Security in Evacuation Zones 64 Project Leads 6 Options Considered to be Unfeasible 64 Steering Committee 6 Infrastructure Enhancements 65 ISL Engineering 6 Evacuation Authority, Types and Process 66 Plan Approval 7 Authority to Order an Evacuation 66 Plan Updates 7 Types of Evacuation 69 Planning Questions 7 Three Stages of Evacuation in British Columbia 70 Planning Process 8 Evacuation Process 71 Review of Hazards in the Sea to Sky Corridor 9 Concept of Operations 84 Hazards with Potential to Necessitate the Mass Framework and Principles 84 Evacuation of the RMOW 9 Coordination and Management of Evacuation 87 Hazards with Potential to Necessitate the Mass Interagency Communications 89 Evacuation of the DOS 10 Moving Critical Staff 91 Hazards of Note 11 BC Disaster Response Transportation System 91 Hazards Impacting Both Communities 14 Roles and Responsibilities of Agencies 93 Community Profile and Evacuation Design Scenarios 15 Local Government Agencies 93 Population Demographics in RMOW and DOS 16 Provincial Government Agencies 96 Evacuation Design Scenarios 17 Federal 100 Transportation Analysis 20 Private Entities 101 Transportation Analysis 20 Non-Profit Entities 101 Evacuation Demand Modelling 22 Public Information 102 Transportation Infrastructure: Opportunities and Key Considerations 102 Limitations for Mass Evacuation 32 Message Dissemination 102 Road 33 The Need for Ongoing Information 106 Marine 36 Communication with Vulnerable Populations 106 Air 38 Motorist Information 106 Rail 41 Community Education and Awareness 107 Transportation of People 42 Mass Shelter 114 Introduction 42 Pets 114 Concept of Operations for the Livestock 115 Transportation of People 43 Receiving Communities 115 Personal Vehicles 47 Pass Through Jurisdictions 115 Carpooling 47 Ground Transportation in the RMOW and DOS 48 Appendices 116 Marine 50 Appendix 1 Project Steering Committee List with Representatives 116 Rail 52 Air 53 Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan 2019 Page 2 Introduction Purpose of the Plan The purpose of the Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan (“the Evacuation Plan” or “the Plan”) is to establish the principles, structures, roles and responsibilities for a coordinated evacuation of the entire community of the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) or District of Squamish (DOS). The Plan specifies arrangements, agency roles and responsibilities, and a range of considerations and actions for the evacuation of people from a hazardous community environment to a location where they will be safe. Addressing mass transportation and evacuation issues are critical components of the response to a major emergency in the Sea to Sky Corridor. Vision of the Plan The vision for the Plan was: • For all agencies in the Corridor with jurisdiction, responsibility, or resources for mass evacuation to come together and collaboratively develop an evacuation process and plan to effectively evacuate an entire com- munity; • That the Evacuation Plan would be based on realistic scenarios, strategies, resources and timelines, so it will be effective in practice; • That all agencies with a role in the execution of the Plan would be included in its development and have a clear understanding and a shared approach to evacuation planning; • To enable evacuations to be executed effectively in a coordinated manner; and • To demonstrate communities and agencies coming together for the purpose of protecting and serving the public in times of emergency. The protection of life is the key principle and the primary objective of this evacuation planning effort. Plan Approach The mass evacuation of a community is multi-jurisdictional, which means that there is neither a single authority with a mandate for all components of an evacuation, nor one agency with all the necessary resources to execute a mass evacuation. Therefore, to successfully develop an Evacuation Plan for the RMOW and DOS it was necessary to bring together the agencies with a responsibility or resource for evacuation, and collaboratively develop a Plan that is supported by the respective agencies. Agencies were brought together in the form of a project Steering Committee. Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan 2019 Page 3 Scope of the Plan The Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan outlines the process and resources for the complete evacuation of either the RMOW or DOS to the north or south using the existing highway system and other safe and practical modes of transportation, including rail, ferry, and air. The Plan considers all hazards, meaning the plan and process is not specific to one hazard, but can be implemented for any hazard requiring the complete evacuation of either the RMOW or DOS. The Plan can be implemented for a hazard threat or hazard incident. A hazard threat is a hazard that may occur, but that has not yet impacted people or property (e.g. rising water levels or a wildfire outside the community). A hazard incident is a hazard that has already materialized and is impacting people or property (e.g. a dyke breach or structure or interface fire within the community). The Plan can be implemented for evacuation scenarios that provide advanced warning or those that provide no notice at all and pose an immediate threat. Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan 2019 Page 4 Plan Format The Plan has been formatted in three parts including a Guidance Document, a Geographic Information System (GIS) Map, and an Operational Evacuation Plan. The Guidance Document presents the core planning principles and operational elements for a mass evacuation in response to an emergency. Because the scope of operations is so broad, the information in the Guidance Document is intended to be general with more detailed operational information provided in the other parts of the Plan. The Guidance Document is not a step-by-step guide of how an evacuation will be implemented, but rather an overview of the process and strategies that will be used to coordinate an evacuation. The Guidance Document captures and shares the information gathered and evaluated through the planning process as a historical record of background and rationale for decisions made through the process. The audiences for the Guidance Document are the key agencies involved in the evacuation of a community, Councils and staff of the RMOW and DOS, and the public. The Operational Evacuation Plan is a detailed step-by-step document containing the specific information required to implement and coordinate an evacuation. The Operational Evacuation Plan will include flow charts, checklists, pre- scripted messaging, and resource and phone lists with specific information. The Operational Evacuation Plan will not include rationale or background information. The Operational Evacuation Plan will be used by decision makers in the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and by agencies with a role in implementing a portion of the Plan. The Evacuation Plan includes a GIS Map, which includes road network features, road network constraints, transit stops, community muster points, evacuation zones, changes to be implemented to the road network in an evacuation, and guidance on the time needed to evacuate the community under different scenarios. The GIS Map will be used as a reference for spatial decision-making during mass evacuation scenarios. The GIS Map will be used by decision makers in the Emergency Operations Centre and by agencies with a role in implementing a portion of the Plan. The Guidance Document is the only portion of the Evacuation Plan that will be shared publically. Guidance Document Guidance Document - Explains the strategy of a mass evacuation for RMOW and DOS. Frames and guides the operational document and GIS map Operational Evacuation Plan Operational Evacuation Plan - Step-by-step document containing the specific information required to implement and coordinate an evacuation GIS Map GIS Map – Visualizes key spatial data for evacuation operations Document Use This document will be shared with the public for informational purposes only. The document is not to be used or reproduced without permission from the RMOW and DOS. Sea to Sky Multimodal Evacuation Plan 2019 Page 5 Project Organization Project Leads The DOS and RMOW provided funding and coordinated the development of the Evacuation Plan. The DOS and RMOW staff led the project Steering Committee and completed the Guidance Document and Operational Evacuation Plan. The DOS and RMOW retained ISL Engineering and Land Services Ltd. (ISL) to complete the technical aspects of the Plan. Steering Committee The project Steering Committee was integral in the development of the Evacuation Plan. The committee was comprised of representatives from agencies with a responsibility or resource for evacuation. The committee met regularly to review data, provide subject area expertise and resource information, discuss options and make decisions on the direction of the project. Agencies represented on the Steering Committee included: • District of Squamish • BC Wildfire Service • Whistler Transit Ltd. • Village of Pemberton • Resort