Any now ageing baby boomers in their 60’s and beyond may remember the old Cold War exercise “Duck and cover”. It was a US Civil Defence idea apparently to offer school children some protection against a nuclear blast. Although an American concept, most Canadians who lived within television broadcast range of the United States would remember, and some schools in Canada did practice the drill.
That same tactic is being brought back in west coast British Columbia. This time however it’s likely to provide rather greater protection.
1951 US Civil Defence: Cold War Safety cartoon
Also this time it has nothing to do with atomic bombs, but rather as a protection against earthquakes.
The west coast is on a major fault line and although there have been several small earthquakes, (some 400 small ones in the last 30 days in fact) there are predictions that at some point in the future, there will likely be “the big one”.
The new phrase is “Drop, cover, and hold on”
Hundreds of thousands of school children and others practiced the routine the routine on Thursday as part of “The Great BC ShakeOut”.
The drill is part of earthquake preparedness, which includes seismic upgrades to schools and other buildings.
“We have to be aware that this is happening on a daily basis and it really could be at any time that we experience this,” said Miranda Myles, volunteer with ShakeOut.
The province has assigned over$50-million for upgrades to just one elementary school in Kitsilano BC. Six schools in the province are currently undergoing seismic upgrades, although there are over one hundred that have been classed as high risk for damage and structural failure in a earthquake. It’s expected the cost could be in the billions of dollars although the government has set aside $500 million for upgrades to 45 schools.
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