On Oct. 17 at 10:17 a.m., the Canadian Forces Base Esquimalt (CFB Esquimalt) will participate in the two-minute Great British Columbia ShakeOut by using their Mass Notification System to quickly communicate with personnel on the base.
The siren, which sounds similar to that of a police vehicle or ambulance, will sound for about a minute followed by a short voice message instructing personnel to seek shelter indoors.
CFB Esquimalt warns it’s possible the siren will be heard in neighboring municipalities due to environmental factors such as temperature, humidity and wind direction.
READ MORE: The Great British Columbia ShakeOut returns Oct. 17
The Great B.C. ShakeOut is an annual two-minute drill to practice what to do in the event of an earthquake.
During the first minute, participants drop to their hands and knees, seek cover under desks or other sturdy furniture, and practice holding on until the shaking stops.
During the second minute, participants will count to 60 before getting up to allow time for items that may have shifted during the quake to settle and to make sure there are no aftershocks.
READ ALSO: Should Greater Victoria have one alert system for everyone?
Routine tests of the Mass Notification System also take place on the first Wednesday of each month for one minute at 11 a.m, using a test tone.
More information about the Mass Notification System, how it works and what it sounds like can be found on CFB Esquimalt’s website.
