Emergency Preparedness

Our mission statement:

To collaborate with other organizations in providing ongoing education and support for Hornby residents to become more prepared for a range of potential emergencies.

The Emergency Preparedness Committee was formed in 2018 to research and coordinate information for a Hornby Island emergency preparedness. Of course, the foundation for any emergency preparation has to be individual, household and neighbourhood emergency preparedness, so education is a big component of the Committee’s work. The BC Provincial Emergency Preparedness web-site has a lot of useful resources and information.

Neighbourhood Emergency Coordinators

The Committee is currently asking for people from each of Hornby’s neighbourhoods to volunteer as Neighbourhood Emergency Coordinators. These Coordinators will receive training and information about organizing neighbourhood meetings to review emergency preparedness information and identify neighbourhood resources and needs. Some neighbourhoods already have Coordinators, but there are many that do not yet have a Coordinator or alternate. View the map to see if your neighbourhood is in need: Hornby NEPP map Sept 2023.

Contact HIRRA Administrator if you are interested in being a Neighbourhood Coordinator or alternate.

The Comox Valley Emergency Program has a simple but comprehensive guide to help you start Neighbourhood Emergency Preparedness Program (NEPP) planning: NEPP Guide

The Committee has already started gathering information from island organizations and businesses to develop a comprehensive list of emergency resources and identify any major gaps in preparedness.

Inform Your Visitors

Many people visit Hornby Island in the summer and throughout the year. Visitors come to connect with family and friends, mountain-bike, swim, walk the trails, buy arts and crafts, or just unwind in our rural remote community. If you have visitors staying on your property, help them be prepared for an emergency. The following handout was circulated by the Hornby Island Short Term Rental Association to assist their members. The information is useful for anyone on Hornby who hosts visitors: HISTRA Owners and Guests Emerg Prep Plan 2024

Evacuation Manual

Comox Valley Emergency Preparedness (CVEP) worked with Committee members to prepare an evacuation manual for the island. The manual of operational guidelines is available on their web-site: Evacuation Guidelines

Tsunami Preparedness

While Hornby is fairly protected from the direct threat of a tsunami caused by a Pacific Ocean earthquake, it’s always good to understand the risk of tsunami and know the best route to high ground.
This You Tube video gives very clear information and examples of various levels of tsunami from barely noticeable to catastrophic: Tsunami comparisons

This downloadable PDF shows the high ground safe zones and the areas of Hornby that could be flooded in a tsunami: NEPP Tsunami Safe Zones on Hornby.

Emergency Preparedness Committee 2024

• Bernie Kowey
• Amy LeBaron
• Albini Lapierre
• Tom Ruth
• Henry Touwslager

Minutes of a Community Emergency Preparedness Meeting held in February 2018 that led to the creation of the HIRRA Emergency Preparedness Committee later that year.