An earthquake in the Pacific Ocean, 100-foot waves charging to shore and panic in the streets. They are all scenes from the movie Disaster Wars: Earthquake vs. Tsunami.
The disaster on the big screen may be considered farfetched but the message is very real. It's a light-hearted approach for the Saanich Emergency Program to share the importance of being prepared for a catastrophic event.
"Our business tends to very serious and we spend a lot of time educating our public on how to prepare for emergencies, including tsunami and earthquake," said Maegan Thompson of the Saanich Emergency Program.
"We have an opportunity to show this movie, pause at the appropriate time and share some of our messaging."
The first message is making sure your family has an emergency plan. Having a plan for where you will meet, how you will communicate and how you will sustain yourself through the emergency is important.
"When you feel that shaking, that is your notice to take protective measures," said Thompson.
"In Greater Victoria, you don't have to go very far to be safe from the tsunami waves, you just need to be up four metres from the high tideline."
Being prepared for an emergency is not limited to earthquakes and tsunamis. Thompson said people need to be prepared for any event, such as the windstorm in December that brought widespread power outages.
Events like the snowstorm in February are opportunities for people to check their emergency supplies and practise family emergency plans, she said.
Disaster Wars: Earthquake vs. Tsunami will be shown Thursday and Friday night at 7 p.m. at Cinecenta in the University of Victoria's Student Union Building on Finnerty Road. Admission is free. For information on emergency preparedness in your own area visit your local municipal website.
