Fact sheet
Community of Vancouver (CMA), British Columbia
In 2014, information on the emergency preparedness of people living in the Census Metropolitan AreaNote 1 of Vancouver was collected through the Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada (SEPR).Note 2 This fact sheet presents information on the risk awareness and level of emergency preparedness of the residents of Vancouver, which could help improve the understanding of community resilience in the event of an emergency.Note 3Note 4
Risk awareness and anticipated sources of help in an emergency or disaster
- Earthquakes (85%), extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (61%), outbreaks of serious or life-threatening diseases (53%), or industrial or transportation accidents (52%) were named by residents of Vancouver as the events most likely to occur in their community.
- Residents most commonly reported that they would anticipate turning to their utility company in the event of an extended power outage (46%) and to a hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional in the event of an outbreak of a serious or life-threatening disease (38%) (Table 1.1).
- Residents most commonly stated that they would turn to news on the radio if they faced a weather-related emergency or natural disaster (32%) or an industrial or transportation accident (31%). If faced with rioting or civil unrest (32%) or an act of terrorism or terrorist threat (30%), residents most frequently stated that they would turn to police or law enforcement. In the event of a contamination or shortage of water or food, residents anticipated turning to local government (26%).
Prior lifetime experience with a major emergency or disasterNote 5
- Nearly one-fifth (18%) of Vancouver residents have faced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community they were living in at the time of the event, with nearly one-half (47%) reporting that they experienced severe disruptions to their daily activities as a result of the event.
- Winter storms which include blizzards and ice storms (29%Note E: Use with caution) and extended power outages lasting 24 hours or longer (26%Note E: Use with caution) were the most commonly experienced emergency or disaster by residents of Vancouver.
- The most common types of disruption to daily activities endured by residents who had experienced major emergencies or disasters included missing an appointment or planned activity (62%), an inability to use electrical appliances at home (58%Note E: Use with caution), missing work or school (49%Note E: Use with caution) and having to boil water for drinking or drink bottled water (42%Note E: Use with caution). More severe disruptions experienced were an inability to use roads or transportation in the community (36%Note E: Use with caution) and home evacuation (28%Note E: Use with caution).
- Approximately two-thirds (68%) of residents who experienced an emergency or disaster were able to resume their daily activities within one week of the event, with close to half (44%Note E: Use with caution) resuming activities within two days.
- More than half (54%) of residents who had experienced an emergency or disaster received help during or immediately following the event.
- One-quarter (26%Note E: Use with caution) of residents of Vancouver who experienced a major emergency or disaster in Canada in a community where they were living at the time of the event and which was significant enough to disrupt their regular daily routine also endured a loss of property or financial impact.Note 6
Emergency planning, precautionary and fire safety behaviours
- Three-quarters (76%) of people residing in Vancouver lived in households that were engaged in at least two emergency planning activities,Note 7 and more than half (53%) lived in households with three or four such activities (Table 1.2). One in twenty (5%Note E: Use with caution) people lived in a household that had not participated in any emergency planning activities.
- More than half (54%) lived in a household with at least two precautionary measuresNote 8 taken in case of an emergency, and one in four (25%) lived in a household with three or four such measures. Less than one in five (15%) people lived in a household with no precautionary measures in place.
- The majority (94%) of residents reported living in a household with a working smoke detector, and nearly two-thirds (64%) reported living in a household with a working fire extinguisher (Table 1.3). One-half (51%) of residents stated that they had a working carbon monoxide detector in their household. One-third (34%) of Vancouver residents stated that they had implemented all three fire safety measures in their household.
- The number of emergency planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by residents of Vancouver did not often differ from residents in British Columbia or Canada’s 10 provinces overall. However, residents of Vancouver were more likely than Canadians to have participated in all four emergency planning activities (24% versus 19%), but they were less likely to have implemented all four precautionary measures (3%Note E: Use with caution) and fire safety measures (34%) than residents of British Columbia (8% and 38%, respectively) and Canada (7% and 42%, respectively) overall.Note 9
- When significant differences in the types of activities and measures put in place existed among those in Vancouver and residents of British Columbia or Canada overall, Vancouver residents were almost always less likely to have implemented the measure or activity. For example, Vancouver residents were less likely to have a vehicle emergency supply kit (53%) or a back-up generator (15%) compared to residents of British Columbia (58% and 22%, respectively) and Canada (59% and 23%, respectively). Vancouver residents were, however, more likely to have an emergency exit plan (71%) and a household emergency supply kit (54%) than Canadians (60% and 47%, respectively).
Social networks and sense of belonging
- Half (52%) of residents of Vancouver had a strong sense of belongingNote 10 to their community.Note 11
- More than eight in ten (85%) residents described the neighbourhood they lived in as a place where neighbours generally help each other.Note 12 Of those who did not describe their neighbourhood this way, most (72%) still described it as a place where neighbours would help each other in an emergency.Note 13
- Six in ten individuals had a large network of support in the event of an emergency or disaster, with more than five people to turn to for emotional support (61%)Note 14 and for help if physically injured (58%),Note 15 while one-half (50%) had the same level of support in the event of a home evacuation.Note 16 More than one-quarter (28%) of residents had a large support network if financial help was needed, and one in ten (9%) residents reported that they had no one to turn to for financial help.Note 17
- High levels of sense of belonging, social support and self-efficacy were sometimes associated with a higher level of emergency preparedness (Table 1.4).
Data tables
Most common sources of initial help and information by type of emergency or disaster | percent |
---|---|
Weather-related emergency or natural disaster | |
News- Radio | 32 |
News- Television | 22 |
News- Internet | 22 |
Extended power outages | |
Utility company | 46 |
News- Radio | 20 |
Family | 12Note E: Use with caution |
Outbreak of serious or life-threatening disease | |
Hospital, clinic, doctor or other medical professional | 38 |
News- Internet | 24 |
News- Television | 20 |
Industrial or transportation accident | |
News- Radio | 31 |
News- Television | 21 |
News- Internet | 20 |
Contamination or shortage of water or food | |
Local government | 26 |
News- Television | 21 |
News- Radio | 20 |
Act of terrorism or terrorist threatTable 1.1, Note 1 | |
Police/law enforcement | 30 |
News- Radio | 26 |
News- Internet | 22Note E: Use with caution |
Rioting or civil unrest | |
Police/law enforcement | 32 |
News- Television | 28 |
News- Radio | 26 |
E use with caution
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Number of planning activities, fire safety and precautionary measures taken by residents | Vancouver | British Columbia | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Number of emergency planning activities | |||
None | 5Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note ** | 6 | 8 |
1 activity | 15 | 15 | 17 |
2 activities | 23 | 22 | 25 |
3 activities | 29 | 29 | 27 |
4 activities | 24Table 1.2, Note ** | 25 | 19 |
Number of precautionary measures | |||
None | 15 | 13 | 16 |
1 measure | 26 | 24 | 27 |
2 measures | 29 | 27 | 28 |
3 measures | 22 | 23 | 20 |
4 measures | 3Note E: Use with cautionTable 1.2, Note *** | 8 | 7 |
Number of fire safety measuresTable 1.2, Note 1Table 1.2, Note 2Table 1.2, Note 3 | |||
None | Note F: too unreliable to be published | 1Note E: Use with caution | 1 |
1 measure | 16Table 1.2, Note * | 14 | 14 |
2 measures | 40 | 40 | 38 |
3 measures | 34Table 1.2, Note *** | 38 | 42 |
E use with caution F too unreliable to be published
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Residents whose households were involved in the following: | Vancouver | British Columbia | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
percent | |||
Emergency planning activities | |||
Emergency exit plan | 71Table 1.3, Note ** | 71 | 60 |
Exit plan has been practised/reviewed in last 12 monthsTable 1.3, Note 1 | 47 | 49 | 46 |
Designated meeting place for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 36 | 38 | 33 |
Contact plan for household membersTable 1.3, Note 2 | 53 | 54 | 55 |
Household emergency supply kit | 54Table 1.3, Note ** | 55 | 47 |
Vehicle emergency supply kitTable 1.3, Note 3 | 53Table 1.3, Note *** | 58 | 59 |
Extra copies of important documents | 57 | 55 | 53 |
List of emergency contact numbers | 68 | 68 | 69 |
Plan for meeting special health needsTable 1.3, Note 4 | 57 | 61 | 62 |
Precautionary measures | |||
Wind-up or battery-operated radio | 57 | 59 | 58 |
Alternate heat source | 51Table 1.3, Note * | 55 | 48 |
Back-up generator | 15Table 1.3, Note *** | 22 | 23 |
Alternate water source | 44Table 1.3, Note * | 48 | 43 |
OtherTable 1.3, Note 5 | 21 | 21 | 21 |
Fire safety measures | |||
Working smoke detector | 94Table 1.3, Note ** | 95 | 98 |
Working carbon monoxide detectorTable 1.3, Note 6Table 1.3, Note 7 | 51Table 1.3, Note ** | 52 | 60 |
Working fire extinguisher | 64Table 1.3, Note * | 69 | 66 |
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Social and political involvement | Percentage of residents who had high or moderately high levels of... | ||
---|---|---|---|
Planning activities | Precautionary measures | Fire safety measures | |
percent | |||
Engagement in political activitiesTable 1.4, Note 1 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 51 | 26 | 34 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 7 | 53 | 26Note E: Use with caution | 31Note E: Use with caution |
High level of civic engagementTable 1.4, Note 2 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 54 | 28 | 31 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 8 | 48 | 24Note E: Use with caution | 37 |
High level of social supportTable 1.4, Note 3 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note 9Table 1.4, Note 10Table 1.4, Note † | 57 | 41 | 42 |
No | 53 | 23Table 1.4, Note * | 32 |
Strong sense of belonging to communityTable 1.4, Note 4 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note 11Table 1.4, Note † | 57 | 30 | 39 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 11 | 51 | 24 | 28Table 1.4, Note * |
High neighbourhood trustTable 1.4, Note 5 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note † | 55 | 34 | 35 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 11 | 55 | 25 | 34 |
High level of self-efficacyTable 1.4, Note 6 | |||
YesTable 1.4, Note 11Table 1.4, Note † | 60 | 33 | 38 |
NoTable 1.4, Note 11 | 49Table 1.4, Note * | 22Table 1.4, Note * | 30 |
E use with caution
Source: Statistics Canada, Survey of Emergency Preparedness and Resilience in Canada, 2014. |
Notes
E use with caution
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