The Cowichan Valley Regional District is letting people know there’s no cause for panic if they see a ‘large’ Canadian Forces helicopter flying low in the area on Wednesday as part of a earthquake training response scenario.
The flight is part of an emergency radio exercise known as Exercise Sweeper, which is testing communications in collaboration with Metro Vancouver, Emergency Management British Columbia, the Canadian Air Force and Washington Station.
The Cowichan Valley Emergency Program is participating and as part of the exercise the Canadian Forces will be conducting a low-flight across Vancouver Island, the Sunshine Coast and the North Shore.
The flights are scheduled between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. with the aircraft flying relatively low — between 1,000 and 1,500 feet.
The general route and direction of travel will be determined on that day.
The aircraft will take aerial photos of infrastructure related to post-disaster transportation and logistics planning. Radio communications will be tested at the same time.
Exercise Sweeper is based on an earthquake scenario affecting the northern communities of Vancouver Island eliminating traditional forms of communications such as land telephone, cellular phone and internet service.
Local government emergency communications is centered on the use of digital and analogue amateur radio.
