Compared to most of the countries in the world, Canada is a relatively safe place to live. Crime is low compared to most nations, and the government has a strong social safety net and a relatively good way of responding to any disasters, ranging from the coronavirus pandemic to natural issues. Nonetheless, there are some problems that do occur no matter what people do, a problem that affects even the most developed countries in the world, such as Canada. If you are interested in the types of emergencies that could affect every Canadian, then it is highly recommended to read the following guide which has been created for your reading pleasure. Read on now to learn all about it.
Earthquakes
Believe it or not, there are actually 4000 earthquakes in Canada every single year. That roughly equates to around 11 a day. While earthquakes in Canada are, for the most part, harmless, this is still an emergency that many people need to be aware of, especially when considering the devastation felt by earthquakes in the USA and Japan. If there is the possibility of a “big one” in Canada, it will likely be along The Queen Charlotte Fault, where three of the biggest earthquakes in Canadian history were recorded.
Wildfires
As a result of global warming, wildfires in Canada are getting worse and worse every year. While many of them are actually started by man-made causes, whichever way a fire is started, it can quickly spread, especially in hot weather. This means that public safety officials have to be very prepared for wildfire season, allowing them to mitigate against the worst of their effects while making sure that everyone in that area is protected to the best of their ability. They will also, naturally, have to make sure that there are adaptive policies in place to protect people affected by wildfires.
Floods
Floods are another big concern when it comes to emergency management. They usually happen along large rivers, sadly where there are large population settlements. In Canada alone, around four million people, over one-tenth of the total population, live in areas that are prone to flooding. Additionally, in the event of heavy rainfall, flooding can actually occur almost anywhere, meaning that it is your duty to make sure that if you live anywhere in the country, you are prepared for floods. It also means that if you work in emergency management, you must have a dedicated plan in order to help people who are affected by floods.
If you are interested in this type of work, then there are dedicated degrees that you can get in order to help you with this aim. More specifically, you can look around for an online emergency management diploma that will give you all the necessary tools to talk about and deal with all of the emergencies that have been listed and written about in this guide.
Heat Waves
Canada may be stereotypically known as the land of snow, ice hockey, moose, and wild bears, but it is actually just as prone to heat waves as anywhere in the world. In fact, the recent and unprecedented severity of many heat waves in Canada is a huge cause for concern for the relatively under-prepared country. This is especially true as some areas in the country can experience temperatures well over 40 degrees celsius, with 50 degrees almost in sight. As a result, it is up to emergency management officials to make sure that they have the necessary tools in place to deal with any heat wave issues that may arise.
Hurricanes
The time between the months of June and November is a time to be aware of. This is because it is hurricane season. While generally speaking, only areas on the coastlines next to the Atlantic and the Pacific Ocean need to be seriously worried about hurricanes, it’s still important for public management officials to communicate the ways in which everyone can be affected by a hurricane. This can cover everything from preparing houses for large gusts of wind, having evacuation programs in place, and making sure there is a plan in place to help people who are displaced by hurricanes.
Power Outages
Power outages are more than just an annoyance whereby people cannot access devices or the internet for a certain amount of time: they can actually cost lives. This is true whether or not it concerns critical services at hospitals or people losing their heating in a time of severe cold. Emergency management in this context is firstly about trying to prevent these power outages from happening. Nonetheless, these types of disasters can happen, meaning that you should also be aware of the ways in which people can be reached when they occur, as well as make sure that backup power generators are available in order to keep energy sources running.
Tsunamis
While the risk of tsunamis in Canada is pretty low compared to most places in the world, it is still something that people should be aware of and prepare for. This is especially true if they live in British Columbia, which has been identified as one of the most vulnerable areas around. Given the immense devastation that tsunamis can cause, as evidenced by the immense destruction that was caused by the Boxing Day Tsunami, all Canadians should definitely be aware of the risk that they can cause and what they should do if they see a tsunami coming. This is especially true as the threat of global warming means more freak weather events that seemed unprecedented at the time.
Another Pandemic
It might seem that, as we are in the third year of the coronavirus pandemic, it is the kind of event that we can put behind us; the truth is that the virus is still spreading rather wildly. It is also the type of virus that is constantly mutating, meaning that it could do more serious damage in the future. The scary part to consider is that this might just be the beginning of something more troublesome.
Many virologists predict that, if we are not careful, another pandemic could be waiting in the wings, one that is even worse than COVID-19. While this isn’t a cause for panic, it does mean that public health officials and emergency management strategists should be ready for it and take the right steps if it does arrive. Thankfully, there is the fact that many important lessons have already been learned by countries across the world about how to deal with coronavirus.
Conclusion
The aim of this guide has been to make sure that you are kept abreast of all the different types of emergencies that Canadians are affected by now or could be affected by in the future. By being aware of all these different issues, if you decide to pursue higher education courses in emergency management, you will know exactly what you should be focusing on at any given time. It also goes without saying that if at any time in the future you find yourself needing a refresher course, this guide will be here to give you all of the information that you need.
