HAZARD RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT REGIONAL DISTRICT OF NANAIMO FINAL REPORT JUNE 2006 Prepared for: Regional District of Nanaimo British Columbia Prepared by: EmergeX Planning Inc. 1202 – 700 West Pender Street Vancouver, BC, V6C 1G8 www.emergexplanning.com Statement of Limitations and Disclaimer This information is the property of the Regional District of Nanaimo and may be used by the Client or those controlled by the Client, including EmergeX Planning Inc. (EmergeX), for the purposes outlined in the scope of work. The information contained in this document is the application of EmergeX’s professional expertise and where applicable professional opinion, subject to the accuracy and content of available information and the scope of work. The user of this information accepts full responsibility for any errors or omissions contained therein. Regional District of Nanaimo i Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessment TABLE OF CONTENTS TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................... II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY............................................................................................................................ IV HAZARD RISK MATRIX............................................................................................................................ VI 1.0 INTRODUCTION ..............................................................................................................................1 1.1 HAZARD RISK AND VULNERABILITY ASSESSMENT...........................................................................1 1.2 SCOPE...............................................................................................................................................1 1.3 METHODOLOGY................................................................................................................................3 2.0 REGIONAL DISTRICT OF NANAIMO OVERVIEW .................................................................5 2.1 SETTING............................................................................................................................................5 2.2 DEMOGRAPHICS................................................................................................................................5 2.3 ECONOMY.........................................................................................................................................7 3.0 VULNERABILITY ............................................................................................................................8 3.1 SOCIAL VULNERABILITY ..................................................................................................................8 3.1.1 Language Groups...................................................................................................................8 3.1.2 Age groups..............................................................................................................................8 3.2 CRITICAL RESPONSE AND RECOVERY FACILITIES.............................................................................9 3.2.1 External Support ..................................................................................................................10 3.3 CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE ...........................................................................................................10 3.3.1 Water....................................................................................................................................11 3.3.2 Energy ..................................................................................................................................13 3.3.3 Telecommunications.............................................................................................................13 3.3.4 Transportation......................................................................................................................13 4.0 RESPONSE CAPABILITIES..........................................................................................................16 4.1 FIRE AND RESCUE...........................................................................................................................16 4.2 POLICE............................................................................................................................................17 4.3 AMBULANCE...................................................................................................................................17 4.4 SEARCH AND RESCUE .....................................................................................................................18 5.0 EMERGENCY SUPPORT AND PREPAREDNESS ORGANIZATIONS.................................19 5.1 EMERGENCY COORDINATION CENTRE (ECC).................................................................................19 5.1.1 Mutual aid agreement between the RDN and its municipalities...........................................19 5.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES ...........................................................................................................19 5.3 EMERGENCY SOCIAL SERVICES ......................................................................................................21 5.4 HEALTH AUTHORITIES....................................................................................................................22 5.5 HAZMAT ......................................................................................................................................23 5.6 AMATEUR RADIO............................................................................................................................24 6.0 HAZARDS.........................................................................................................................................25 6.1 ATMOSPHERIC ...........................................................................................................................25 6.1.1 Blizzard ................................................................................................................................25 6.1.2 Hailstorm..............................................................................................................................26 6.1.3 Heat Wave ............................................................................................................................26 6.1.4 Lightning ..............................................................................................................................27 6.1.5 Snowstorm ............................................................................................................................28 Regional District of Nanaimo ii Hazard Risk and Vulnerability Assessment 6.1.6 Rainstorm and Windstorm....................................................................................................29 6.2 GEOLOGICAL..............................................................................................................................30 6.2.1 Avalanche.............................................................................................................................30 6.2.2 Earthquake ...........................................................................................................................30 6.2.3 Landslide: Debris Flow, Rock Fall & Submarine Landslide ...............................................32 6.2.4 Land Subsidence...................................................................................................................34 6.2.5 Volcanic Ash Fallout............................................................................................................35 6.3 HYDROLOGICAL........................................................................................................................36 6.3.1 Dam Failure .........................................................................................................................36 6.3.2 Drought ................................................................................................................................37 6.3.3 Erosion and Sedimentation...................................................................................................39 6.3.4 Flood ....................................................................................................................................42 6.3.5 Storm Surge..........................................................................................................................46 6.3.6 Telegenic Tsunami................................................................................................................46 6.3.7 Terrestrial Tsunami..............................................................................................................48 6.4 FIRE...............................................................................................................................................48 6.4.1 Forest Fire and Wildland Urban Interface Fire...................................................................48 6.4.2 Community Wildfire Protection Plans Completed in the RDN.............................................53 6.4.3 Structure Fire .......................................................................................................................54 6.5 DISEASES, EPIDEMICS, PANDEMICS .....................................................................................55