Dear Editor:
Re: Emergency alerts coming?, Burnaby NOW, Aug. 17.
I read with great eagerness the article "Emergency alerts coming?" Anything that Burnaby can add to its arsenal of earthquake preparedness is good for Burnaby residents.
With school just around the corner, every Burnaby parent should email their principal and ask if the school has an earthquake kiosk and an earthquake plan.
It is important to know that the school district and the city are not planning to safeguard your child when an earthquake hits. Many Burnaby schools are woefully unprepared and I encourage every parent to inquire about their child's safety.
For example, there are 11 elementary schools without an earthquake kiosk (an external structure containing emergency medical supplies, food and water) and none of the eight high schools have one. In the event of an earthquake, Burnaby's plan is to send your teenagers home.
Burnaby does not take this issue particularly seriously.
Gather all the information you can from the schools and the city and prepare your family as best as you can.
Earthquake preparedness is not something that anyone wants to do but I hope my local tax dollars start helping schools, families and residents prepare.
Perhaps the city could consider less grants for parties and sports field trips and more for earthquake preparedness.
Louise Hazemi, via email
