Thursday, August 24, 2023

The killer side of Cleveland Dam's release of water: Two lives lost downstream

The week BEFORE the loss of two lives, this video shows the uncharacteristic results of a heavy rainfall on Friday where Metro Vancouver had lowered the gate incrementally, until they were satisfied with their results.

Possibly the lives lost the following week was because Metro Vancouver (staff) defaulted to the previous week's lowest settings.

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The Greater Vancouver Water District does a 'dry run' drill every six months to ensure that their new warning system is functioning properly by announcing verbally:

THIS IS A DRILL ...... THIS IS A DRILL

I wonder why there isn't an 'invitation' to the general public to participate in the drill process, such as having to get up and leave a freshly laid picnic adjacent to the river; fishermen standing at the river's edge with a fish on the line. Metro Vancouver's game plan is LEAVE AT ONCE. Don't stop to pick up your belongings. Just drop your fishing gear, leave and seek out the safety of high ground.

In reality, there are NO further instructions for the public posted anywhere.

Two lives lost..... and all that Metro Vancouver has done to protect their employees, and the public, is lip service ("express approval of or support for (something) without taking any significant action.")

Sort of reminds me (1950s-1960s) of the fire drills at school where the Fire Department showed up at Lord Tennyson and later Kitsilano, but we all knew that it was just a drill, and it only happened once a year.

There has Never been a Drill at Capilano River Regional Park, not even for the staff.

Fire Department / North Shore Rescue training, YES, but that has always been well planned out before hand.

Text Message alerts

the alerts are available to the general public for the real thing, but in the trying-it-out phase twice a year did it actually work?

UPDATE